Artificial intelligence company Group 42 acquires Abu Dhabi-based Bayanat

Bayanat is providing national-level mapping and geospatial services to both public and private sectors

Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 has acquired Bayanat - a mapping company that is also based in the emirate that was born out of the UAE's Military Survey Department. Alamy

Group 42, an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence and cloud computing company, acquired Bayanat for Mapping and Surveying Services, a geospatial data products and services provider, for an undisclosed sum.

Group 42 said the purchase will add to its existing suite of satellite-based solutions, state news agency Wam reported on Monday

“This acquisition reflects Group 42’s continuous effort to deliver cutting-edge, AI-enabled solutions to the region, as it gives us access to technology, expertise and high-quality geographical data that will be used to nourish our algorithms further," said Peng Xiao, the company’s chief executive.

Last month, Group 42 had announced a partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health to deliver the first genome data programme in the country. In November, it announced the establishment of a joint venture with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to create AI-enabled solutions for the oil and gas industry.

“Our vision has been to be the forerunners in our industry not only in the region, but globally,” said Mohammed Al Beloushi, chief executive of Abu Dhabi-based Bayanat.

“Group 42 will further bolster our vision… having the region's most powerful computing capability and their reputation for being thought leaders in AI.”

Bayanat was born out of the commercialisation of the UAE's Military Survey Department, a sector of the UAE Armed Forces. It provides national level mapping and geospatial products and services for both the public and private sectors in the UAE.