In this interview with Adgully Middle East, Talal Thabet, CEO Haltia.AI, paints a picture of how Haltia.AI and similar technologies will transform the way we interact with technology, offering personalized experiences that enhance productivity, well-being, and human connection. This interview provides a deep dive into this AI startup’s vision, technology, and impact on the future of AI interaction, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of personal AI experiences.How is Haltia.AI redefining personal AI experiences in the UAE, considering the unique cultural landscape and user needs?Haltia.AI recognizes the importance of cultural sensitivity in crafting a personal AI experience. Moreover, Haltia.AI champions member empowerment and respects the spirit of self-sovereignty, in alignment with the cypherpunk principles of our co-founder and CTO, Arto Bendiken. Here's how we address this in the UAE:On-device processing: Member data stays entirely on their devices, maximizing control and privacy. I see privacy as equal to dignity. This aligns well with the cultural emphasis of the region.Multilingual capabilities: Catering to the region's diverse languages, Haltia.AI will incorporate advanced language processing for seamless interaction in Arabic and other prominent languages.Culturally-aware knowledge base development: We're building an AI with a knowledge base that acknowledges local customs, etiquette, and sensitivities relevant to the UAE and regional context.Member-controlled persona development: The AI personalizes the companion's interaction style based on the member’s usage which offers more formal or respectful speech patterns to align with cultural preferences.Can you elaborate on how Haltia.AI goes beyond basic automation and truly personalizes the user experience with adaptive intelligence?Firstly, at Haltia.AI we do not have “users”. We have “members”. “Users” are for social media and drug dealers. When a service is free, a user and their data become the product. To answer your question, Haltia.AI's core strength lies in its Adaptive Personal AI technology. Here's how it personalizes the experience:Learning from member interactions: The AI continuously learns from member behaviour, preferences, and communication patterns.Predictive capabilities: Based on learned patterns, Haltia.AI anticipates member needs and proactively suggests actions or information.Contextual awareness: The AI understands the context of member queries and tailors responses accordingly, providing more relevant and helpful information.Evolving knowledge base: As members interact with the AI, the knowledge base personalizes itself to their specific interests and needs.With the constant evolution of AI, how is Haltia.AI ensuring its technology stays adaptable and relevant in the long run?We are committed to continuous innovation at Haltia.AI:Dedicated R&D team: Our team actively researches advancements in AI, focusing on areas like real-time knowledge capture and large language model optimization for mobile devices. A team that has already published several prominent papers and will continue to do so.Open architecture: Our technology is designed to be adaptable and integrate with future AI developments, and consequently, can be customized for both the public and the private sectors too.Collaboration with developers: We offer developer kits, fostering a community that builds upon our core technology, accelerating innovation.As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, how is Haltia.AI addressing potential ethical concerns around user privacy and bias? Should AI be regulated? What are your thoughts especially in the backdrop of the recent AI law passed by the EU?At Haltia.AI, ethical considerations and user privacy are paramount. We are one of the few startups that has a dedicated Ethicist on our payroll who directs our compass towards the ethical values that are essential to us as a brand. In addition, we have nine cypherpunks on our advisory board that are all privacy advocates who are happy to ring the alarm should they find that we have not lived up to our brand promise of unbreachable privacy. This direction and keen desire to maintain privacy is because we believe in empowering members with complete control over their data. That's why our core innovation lies in on-device processing.Data never leaves the device: Unlike traditional AI assistants, Haltia.AI processes all information entirely on your smartphone or device. This eliminates the risk of data breaches entirely, as your data never travels to the cloud.Focus on member control: Members have complete autonomy over what information they share with the AI and how it's used.Bias detection and mitigation: We actively address potential biases in our AI by employing diverse datasets and rigorous testing methodologies. We're fortunate to have a senior AI ethicist on our team, leading these efforts and ensuring responsible development.Industry standards and best practices: While we may not advocate for heavy-handed regulation, we believe in responsible AI development and support industry standards that promote user privacy and mitigate bias. The EU's AI Act highlights some valuable considerations in this regard.By prioritizing on-device processing, member control, and leading with an AI ethics expert, Haltia.AI offers a future of AI interaction built on trust and transparency.Does Haltia.AI have ambitions to expand its reach beyond the UAE and cater to a global audience? If so, how will it adapt to diverse cultural contexts?Global presence is an obvious part of our vision. Here's how we'll adapt:Multilingual support: We'll offer extensive language processing capabilities to serve users globally from launch.Culturally-aware knowledge base development: We'll work with local partners and experts to tailor the knowledge base to specific regional contexts.Customizable member interfaces: The UI will be adaptable to accommodate different cultural preferences for design and interaction.Working with the enterprise sector clients that have a similar geographic canvas to roll out the service across their footprint.How will Haltia.AI and similar technologies transform the way we interact with technology in the coming years?Personal AI companions like Haltia.AI will change human behaviour and create a new era of human-tech interaction:More intuitive and natural interaction: We'll move away from keyword searches and towards a more conversational way of interacting with technology.Increased efficiency and productivity: AI will anticipate needs and handle routine tasks, freeing up human time for more creative endeavours.Personalized experiences: Technology will adapt to individual members, providing a more seamless and enriching experience, whether at work or in a member’s private life.Haltia.AI and similar companions, not just assistants, will evolve into the companions that provide assistance, guidance, advice, coaching, promotion, motivation, and dare I say, allow the members to feel supported, loved, and cared for. Human behavior will undergo a transformation, with stress levels decreasing, and instances of overwork and burnout diminishing. Consequently, society will witness greater unity and tolerance among individuals, as Haltia.AI democratizes intelligence just as the internet democratized information.