The Future of AI in the UAE
07-Dec, 2023
Xploon
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“He loves his country best who strives to make it best.”
– Robert Green Ingersoll
Whenever we talk about countries that grew exponentially in a very short span of time, the UAE is always at the top of the list. From a small dusty frontier to the most iconic tourist spot, the UAE evolved in just half a century. While the discovery of oil in 1958 is something that stimulated the boom of this country, there are lots of other factors that make the UAE one of the most advanced economies of the world. Considering these factors, the future of AI in the UAE is nothing but promising.
The UAE’s government always strives to raise the bar higher. This is the reason that in 2017, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai launched the UAE Centennial 2071 project, intending to make UAE the world’s best country over the next 50 years (from 2021 to 2071). The main idea of this project is to ensure greater growth opportunities for the coming generations.
The project mainly focuses on four core areas: Economy, Education, Government Development, and Community Building. Since this is an era of information technology and artificial intelligence, the UAE has been continuously undertaking measures to adopt advanced technologies. This proactive approach ensures a flourishing future for AI in the UAE, enabling the nation to better achieve its objectives.
Future of Artificial Intelligence in the UAE
A few months after the announcement of the UAE Centennial 2071 project, in October 2017, the UAE government launched the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. The primary objective of this strategy is to make the UAE the world leader in AI by 2031. Since then, the UAE has been greatly implementing artificial intelligence in all major sectors including education, transportation, energy, space, and so forth. Let’s dive a bit deeper into how these measures are shaping the future of AI in the UAE.
1. Initiation of AI Ministry
With the launch of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, UAE appointed His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. The idea behind setting up the ministry was to be at the leading edge of the global technological revolution. To accelerate the country’s mission of being the leader in AI, in 2019, the ministry instigated the Think AI initiative. The initiative would conduct a series of workshops and events that would focus on the challenges involved in integrating AI in various sectors of the UAE and attracting talent from around the world. Eventually, the initiatives will boost the future of AI in the UAE.