#Abu Dhabi #United Arab Emirates #G42 #MBZUAI #K2 Think

K2 Think: Shaping the Future of AI Reasoning

The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in collaboration with G42 has announced the groundbreaking launch of K2 Think, an innovative open-source system designed for advanced AI reasoning. This initiative marks a significant advancement in AI technology, showcasing a model that not only provides cutting-edge performance but also emphasizes efficiency.

The Efficiency of K2 Think

K2 Think boasts an extraordinary capability with just 32 billion parameters, outperforming competing reasoning models that are up to 20 times larger. This efficiency challenge towards traditional principles of AI model development signifies a merger of compact structure with profound reasoning abilities. The system was developed under six core pillars, reflecting a progressive approach to AI architecture.

These pillars include supervised learning for enhanced logical depth, reinforcement learning with verifiable rewards to address complex issues, agentic planning for effective problem decomposition, and time-scaling techniques that improve adaptability. As a result, K2 Think stands as an alternative that redefines the expectations for advanced reasoning models.

The Technological Edge

At its core, K2 Think will soon be optimized for inference on the cutting-edge Cerebras computing platform. Its integration facilitates unprecedented operational speeds, achieving 2000 tokens per second, thus enhancing its viability for real-world applications and research. Furthermore, it leads the sector by excelling in key performance metrics for various competitive benchmarks such as AIME '24/'25, HMMT '25, and OMNI-Math-HARD.

As a clear demonstration of what collaborative innovation can achieve, K2 Think is set to position Abu Dhabi as a leading hub for artificial intelligence, where open innovation and strategic public-private partnerships take center stage.

Vision and Leadership

His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the MBZUAI board, remarked that K2 Think “sets a new global standard for excellence” and illustrates the commitment of the UAE towards innovative advancements in AI technologies. This initiative, he believes, highlights how the region can pioneer in developing advanced AI systems that are viable and scalable on a global scale.

In alignment with this, Peng Xiao, board member of MBZUAI and CEO of G42, emphasized that K2 Think has shifted the paradigm of AI reasoning. Transitioning from “larger is better” to “smarter is better,” K2 Think reflects the UAE's mission to push the boundaries of AI through elegant, efficient solutions.

A New Horizon in Open Source

What sets K2 Think apart from many AI projects is its full open-source commitment. Unlike traditional AI systems that often release only model weights, K2 Think provides comprehensive access to training data, parameter weights, and deployment code. This level of transparency not only encourages wide-ranging collaboration within the global research community but also fosters reproducibility in research and practical applications.

As Professor Eric Xing, president of MBZUAI, clearly noted, this framework provides an opportunity for significant advancements in AI that are both cost-effective and responsible. The impact of this initiative is bound to resonate throughout the global AI community, allowing researchers and developers alike to contribute to and benefit from this technological stride.

Future Prospects

K2 Think builds upon a growing family of open-source models developed in the UAE, furthering the legacy of previous innovations such as Jais, the world's most advanced Arabic language model, and others. As these breakthroughs unfold, K2 Think sets a new foundation for what future models can achieve—not just in terms of scale but also in their innovative approaches.

Starting today, K2 Think is accessible on k2think.ai and Hugging Face, offering researchers and innovators a powerful tool for unlocking the next generation of AI reasoning capabilities. As the MBZUAI continues its mission to cultivate AI leadership and research, K2 Think is a pivotal milestone that will guide the way for future technological advancements.

There is no doubt that the future of reasoning and AI will be significantly influenced by the ingenuity and collaboration presented through projects like K2 Think. As we step into this new era, it is clear that smarter, more efficient AI solutions are not just idealistic visions, but tangible realities, thanks to organizations like MBZUAI and G42.