Themis launches AI Investigator to accelerate anti-financial crime efforts amid Abu Dhabi’s AI boom

Themis, a B-Corp specialising in AI and anti-financial crime technology, unveils AI Investigator, a platform set to transform due diligence processes, against the backdrop of Abu Dhabi’s rapid rise as a global AI hub supported by strategic investments and innovative government policies.

AI and anti-financial crime technology firm Themis, a certified B-Corp, has unveiled AI Investigator, an intelligent due diligence platform designed to revolutionise the detection and prevention of financial crime across organisations of all sizes. Developed with extensive input from hundreds of compliance professionals and supported by an Innovate UK grant, AI Investigator leverages generative AI and proprietary domain-specific models trained on Themis’ own data to automate investigations. The platform promises to deliver real-time risk analysis on ownership structures, adverse media, and regulatory filings in minutes rather than days or weeks, aiming to make due diligence quicker and more accessible.

According to Dickon Johnstone, CEO of Themis, the launch marks a pivotal shift in anti-money laundering (AML) practices. Speaking about the platform, he said, “When we look back in a few years, we’ll wonder how due diligence was ever done without AI… By putting enhanced due diligence into everyone’s hands, we are truly democratising due diligence.” The platform’s AI agents use behavioural analysis and pattern recognition, matching data against a proprietary knowledge base of financial crime indicators derived from criminal convictions and established typologies. This foundation enables enhanced precision in detecting hidden risks and potential exposure to predicate financial crimes. Additionally, AI Investigator boasts cloud-agnostic scalability and seamless integration across sectors including financial institutions, private equity, real estate, professional services, and government, reflecting Themis’ commitment to addressing financial crime risk beyond regulated industries.

The launch of AI Investigator comes during a period of remarkable growth and strategic focus on artificial intelligence in Abu Dhabi, the city hosting Themis’ global debut. Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as a leading AI hub, investing AED 13 billion (around $3.54 billion) in AI between 2025 and 2027 as part of its national strategy to become the world leader in AI by 2031. This ambitious Falcon Economy vision unites government bodies, investors, and institutions—including ADGM, Hub71, and the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC)—to foster a dynamic AI ecosystem. Recent data from the Abu Dhabi Chamber highlights a 61% growth in AI companies to 673 within a year, underscoring the city’s rapid emergence as a global centre for AI innovation and enterprise in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The ecosystem benefits from influential entities such as the Advanced Technology Research Council and G42, a state-backed AI company.

Abu Dhabi’s government is also advancing its AI ambitions via the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, which allocates AED 13 billion to digital infrastructure and AI adoption to create a fully AI-native government by 2027. The strategy includes goals to achieve 100% adoption of sovereign cloud computing, automate all government processes, and deploy over 200 AI applications. These initiatives are supported by comprehensive citizen training programmes under the “AI for All” scheme, promoting widespread AI literacy and innovation.

In a parallel development showcasing Abu Dhabi’s strategic positioning in AI technology, MGX, an AI investment firm partly owned by Mubadala and G42, co-invested alongside Silver Lake to acquire a majority stake in Altera, a US-based programmable chip company crucial for AI computing. This deal, valued at $8.75 billion, reflects deepening UAE ambitions to enhance their technological infrastructure and capability in AI and financial intelligence.

Furthermore, the US government has indicated a potential relaxation of restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to the UAE, with plans to allow over a million Nvidia AI chips to be imported annually through 2027. About 20% of these chips would support Abu Dhabi’s G42, illustrating the strategic importance placed on the emirate as a regional AI powerhouse. This move underscores the growing geopolitical and economic significance of the UAE as a nexus for advanced AI development and deployment, despite some caution among US lawmakers regarding technology transfer risks.

Together, these developments illustrate Abu Dhabi’s rapid ascent as a global AI leader, creating fertile ground for innovations like Themis’ AI Investigator, which harness AI’s transformative potential to combat financial crime more effectively. The emirate’s strategic investments, comprehensive digital strategies, and growing AI ecosystem collectively position it at the forefront of the AI-driven economic transformation.

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Source: Noah Wire Services