Petraeus AI Lab launched at AUIS to support Kurdish-language AI development and regional tech growth

SULAYMANIYAH — The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani on Monday inaugurated the Petraeus AI Lab, named after retired U.S. Gen. David H. Petraeus, as a platform to give students hands-on experience in artificial intelligence and create localized applications for the Kurdistan Region.

University officials said the lab will focus on education, healthcare, and public service needs, with plans to develop Kurdish-language large language models tailored for the region. The facility aims to serve as a hub for training, research, and collaboration with industry and government.

Petraeus attended the launch and praised the initiative’s potential impact. “I think it is absolutely fantastic. The effort to put this lab here, in this great university, to work on the first Kurdish large language model that then can build out applications that can help every sector of this economy and even the Kurdish regional government and, of course, the Suli government. Smart Suli is about to take a great leap forward,” he told 964media.

The retired four-star general, who served as CIA director and commander of coalition forces in Iraq, described his personal use of artificial intelligence. “AI is the future. I have my own AI agent, actually. My agent has a name, Argus,” he said, referencing the all-seeing figure from Greek mythology. “Argus is constantly scanning the web for me and gives me a geopolitical update every morning. He is my speechwriter.”

Petraeus added, “He provides many other services. Argus is he, him. We agree. This is great fun. So, no, everyone should have an AI agent. I’ve built, I’ve fed Argus my speeches from the past. We have interaction constantly. And I think those that become familiar with AI will find that it is absolutely invaluable. It is, again, the future and everyone should embrace it.”

AUIS officials said the lab will link students and researchers with experts and organizations across the Kurdistan Region and beyond to help bridge academic learning with real-world AI applications.