Abu Dhabi, UAE, May, 2025: Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) will deepen ties with France’s AI ecosystem in 2025 after expanding its relationship with École Polytechnique through a Collaborative Research Agreement. This new initiative will support mission-driven research led by core investigators from both institutions. The focus areas include advancing large language models, developing foundation models for reasoning, and exploring applications of AI in biology, health, and AI safety.
“Our partnerships and presence in France are critical to the continued growth and innovation of our research capabilities at MBZUAI and we’re excited to expand our relationship with École Polytechnique in support of these efforts,” said Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor, MBZUAI. “Our expanded agreement represents a blueprint for global research collaboration to advance the field of AI and share in the benefits collectively across France and the UAE.”
In February, MBZUAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with École Polytechnique (L’X) to foster collaboration on joint initiatives in education, research, and innovation in artificial intelligence. The agreement was formalized on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in France, where Professor Xing delivered a keynote address on AI, Science, and Society.
Building on this partnership, the two institutions signed the Scholars Exchange Program Agreement in April, enabling the exchange of students and researchers between MBZUAI and École Polytechnique.
Laura Chaubard, Director General of École Polytechnique, said: “I’m delighted to be moving forward with our strategic research partnership with MBZUAI. The scientific synergies are numerous, in the fields of AI for health, safety, and environmental sustainability, as well as in large language models and foundation models for reasoning. I’m sure that these synergies will give rise to rich collaborations in the future.”
This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in accelerating joint research efforts and supporting the next generation of researchers and innovators in the field of AI.
MBZUAI’s research ties with France are also supported by the growing presence of the MBZUAI France Lab in Paris. Among their achievements to date, researchers at this satellite lab have developed a family of open-source large language models (LLMs) called Atlas-Chat, focusing on the Moroccan Arabic dialect (Darija). The team has released two language models: Atlas-Chat-2B, designed for efficient generation of fluent Darija text, and Atlas-Chat-9B, offering more nuanced, context-rich output for advanced tasks.
The France Lab will also be a focal point for MBZUAI’s soon-to-be-unveiled Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) — a bold, global initiative uniting AI talent across Abu Dhabi, Silicon Valley and Paris. The France Lab will be one of three centres in each of these AI hubs designed to advance the next generation of foundation models and deliver their benefits to communities worldwide.
About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
MBZUAI is a research-focused university in Abu Dhabi, and the first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through AI. The university empowers the next generation of AI leaders, driving innovation and impactful applications of AI through world-class education and interdisciplinary research. In 2025, MBZUAI launched its first-ever undergraduate program, a Bachelor of Science in AI, with two distinct streams: Business and Engineering.