How Agentic AI could reshape government services in Abu Dhabi

Agentic AI has the potential to revolutionize how government agencies deliver public services, according to experts from Deloitte Middle East. Mike Horseman, Partner at Deloitte Middle East, explained that AI agents can already comprehend requests, extract data from various government systems, and perform administrative tasks. These agents can assist with procurement, case management, regulatory compliance, and internal operations by coordinating work across different departments.

Horseman emphasized that the primary opportunity lies in redesigning government services around people's needs, rather than merely speeding up existing services. Despite the advancements in AI, human oversight will remain crucial, especially for high-risk decisions. Governments should provide AI agents with sufficient independence for specific tasks, while higher-risk decisions should remain under meaningful human oversight.

Security, identity management, data sovereignty, and continuous monitoring should be integrated into AI systems right from the beginning. Every action performed by an AI agent should be explainable and auditable, which will help maintain public trust while fostering innovation.

Ajman has launched the UAE's first Agentic AI service to renew trade licenses, showcasing the technology's practical applications. Shargil Ahmad, Partner and Government and Public Services Leader at Deloitte Middle East, highlighted that government officials will continue to set policies, design services, and remain accountable for the functioning of government.

Important skills for government employees will include critical thinking, consultation, AI orchestration, human-centered design, change leadership, and decision-making.

The biggest challenge in adopting Agentic AI is transitioning from pilot projects to broader implementation. Successful integration requires connected data, secure integration, and modern digital platforms that enable AI agents to operate across government systems. Dubai is leading discussions on the future of work as AI agents enter government offices.

Abu Dhabi is uniquely positioned to become the world's first AI-native government due to its expanding AI talent pool, robust digital infrastructure, and clear policy direction. With the leadership coordinating government entities, ongoing investments, and a culture of responsible innovation, Abu Dhabi is well-equipped to lead the way in AI-native government.

Deloitte presented AI Core alongside Agentic AI use cases built on the Common Digital Platform architecture during the DGE Showcase, demonstrating how a common digital foundation could help Abu Dhabi move from individual AI experiments to wider implementation across government while maintaining security, governance, and interoperability.