Moving early on AI put UAE at front of digital race, expert says
The UAE's position as the top nation across numerous digital areas is down to its early focus on the sector, an expert has said. The UAE’s determination to advance digitisation and artificial intelligence in delivering government services was in evidence this week through the launch of a new agentic AI project . Aiming to achieve what Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai,…
An expert has suggested that the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) early focus on digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), has positioned the country at the forefront of the global digital race. Dr. Raymond Khoury, a public sector practice lead at Arthur D Little consultancy in Dubai, stated that the UAE's dedication to advancing digitisation and AI in delivering government services has been evident in recent initiatives, including a new agentic AI project.
This project aims to improve government service delivery and decision-making by assisting ministers with better and faster decisions.
The UAE has been ranked first globally for digital skills, the institutional framework for digital government, and AI adoption. It is also second globally for government service satisfaction and among the top 10 for technology and digital competitiveness. Dr. Khoury attributes the country's success to its heavy investment in these areas and the foundational elements put in place over the past two decades, starting with a modernisation journey two decades ago.
The UAE's position as a leader in digital transformation is attributed to the unique positioning of Gulf states, which are uniquely positioned to advance national agendas. This collective effort allows them to achieve major undertakings more easily than countries with legacy set-ups. Switzerland and Singapore are also seen as leaders in this regard, with smaller developed countries like these also having a strong drive for digital transformation.
The focus is now on advancing AI within governments and economies, with the goal of improving service accessibility and making businesses more efficient. The UAE has set an ambitious goal of providing half of government services through agentic AI within two years, aligning with the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme launched in 2023. Agentic AI involves autonomous AI systems that can deliver individually tailored services with minimal human supervision, leading to faster delivery and reduced need for human interaction.
In addition to the agentic AI project, the UAE has launched an AI curriculum in schools and trained 80,000 government staff in agentic AI. Dubai has also encouraged private companies to use agentic AI through training programmes, further solidifying the country's position as a leader in digital transformation.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Moving early on AI put UAE at front of digital race, expert says thenationalnews.com
