Dubai accelerates India deal to adopt agentic AI in private sector

Dubai and India have strengthened their collaboration in the realm of agentic AI by signing a preliminary agreement aimed at incentivizing private companies to adopt the technology. This deal, inked between Dubai Chambers and India's National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), is poised to facilitate Indian AI firms in establishing a presence in Dubai.

Agentic AI refers to systems capable of understanding objectives, determining actions, and executing them with minimal human intervention. These systems are increasingly employed in various applications, from mobile devices to operational processes. The UAE and India had previously agreed on AI cooperation in 2018. For businesses, agentic AI can automate complex tasks that traditional AI tools cannot, such as managing customer requests, processing documents, and handling procurement and compliance checks.

This could lead to reduced operating costs, faster service delivery, and the ability for employees to focus on tasks requiring human judgment. Nasscom, representing over 3,500 members in India's technology sector valued at $315 billion, anticipates that this agreement will foster knowledge exchange and open up business opportunities in the UAE.

For Indian tech firms, the agreement may grant access to Dubai's vast pool of AI expertise and companies. Dubai's leadership in AI is evident in its recent plans to have half of all government services run on AI agents within two years. The emirate also unveiled a two-year action plan to harness advanced AI in the private sector, aiming to secure a competitive edge in the future global workforce.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce plans to provide specialized agentic AI training for all its business councils, establish incubators for AI firms, and allocate funds to support the transition. Meanwhile, Dubai aims to become the "world's leading hub for developing and deploying advanced AI solutions."