Karl Ricanek

Karl Ricanek Jr., professor of computer science and engineering and an internationally recognized leader in artificial intelligence (AI), was selected to participate in a U.S. Chamber of Commerce delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in support of AI acceleration, set to take place today through Thursday, according to a news release.

Ricanek joins a group of U.S. experts who will engage with senior leaders across the UAE government, academia and industry to explore opportunities for international collaboration in artificial intelligence, advanced technology, cybersecurity, innovation ecosystems and workforce development, the release stated. 

His meetings will include senior officials from key ministries, sovereign investment entities, national AI organizations, leading research institutions and private-sector innovation hubs, according to the release.

“Being invited to represent U.S. expertise in artificial intelligence on this delegation is both an honor and a responsibility,” Ricanek stated in the release. “The UAE has made extraordinary investments in AI strategy, infrastructure and talent. I am eager to explore pathways for collaboration that benefit UNCW, our students, our research partners and the broader innovation ecosystems in both countries.”

A veteran AI researcher with more than three decades of experience, Ricanek has led federally funded research initiatives, built interdisciplinary AI programs and successfully commercialized university-developed technologies into global enterprises, according to the release. His work spans facial analytics, intelligent systems, cybersecurity, applied machine learning and large-scale AI deployment across health, insurance and enterprise sectors, the release stated.

According to the release, through this delegation, Ricanek will explore opportunities to: 

• Establish research partnerships between UNCW and UAE universities and national laboratories 
• Create student and faculty exchange pathways 
• Enable joint innovation initiatives in AI, cybersecurity and advanced computing
• Support industry–university collaboration and commercialization pipelines 
• Strengthen international engagement aligned with UNCW’s strategic growth in emerging technologies