Dubai's Tech Experts to Shape AI's Future, Says Minister of State of AI

The Dubai AI framework is positioning itself as a global hub for intelligent technology, not through bureaucratic control.

The Dubai AI framework is positioning itself as a global hub for intelligent technology, not through bureaucratic control but by empowering tech innovators.

The Emirati government wants to expand the workforce in the AI tech industry, according to Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, speaking during the Dubai AI and Web3 Festival.

“The future of AI is not going to be determined by technocrats and bureaucrats like myself. It will be decided by people in this room-the [tech] experts who decided to call Dubai home-by technology experts who appreciate the speed of our government and the openness this country has,” Al Olama said, addressing the tech entrepreneurs, founders, and industry leaders of AI companies in Dubai.

Al Olama declared that the UAE’s goal was to enable the ‘leaders in tech’ to use Dubai AI as a launchpad to create global companies and top AI companies in Dubai. It’s not about competing with the top AI researchers or companies but deploying AI tech in Dubai in such a way as to improve daily life and decision-making processes at incredible speed.

GCC and Dubai AI Strategy

While Dubai fully embraces AI innovation, other intelligent tools such as ChatGPT are utterly prohibited from being used in government jobs in most GCC countries due to their possible misuse for compromising sensitive governmental data and operations.

The GCC countries have instead focused on developing indigenous AI tools and chatbots, suited to their needs and regulations. Indigenously developed Dubai AI systems, as these are, will handle Arabic language processing and regional-specific requirements better than globally generic AI models.

 The localized AI tools, such as Jais, will help in different sectors, with the most important ones being healthcare, education, and public services, with customized solutions aimed at conforming to certain cultural and regulatory norms, minimizing dependence on foreign technologies and making the digital ecosystem somewhat resilient.

Collaboration and Regulation: A Balanced Approach

Al Olama enumerated the UAE’s work for global collaboration on the development of safe AI. The previous day, he said the US gave a fresh drive by offering voluntary guidelines to all AI companies and assigned chief AI officers to each of its government agencies.

The Emirates has reacted in less than a month, he mentioned, by naming chief AI officers to federal entities. He added that it showcased how nimble his country could be while taking the lead on the topic at hand.

The proactive stance of the UAE in AI is reflected in founding the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in 2019, the first university in the world to be exclusively devoted to AI. The country seeks to lead not just in AI innovation but also in the installation of a robust regulatory framework that can overcome such risks as labor disruption and the misuse of AI technology.

Shaping the Future of Dubai AI Governance

The UAE’s approach of combining rapid deployment, local innovation, and international collaboration presents a model for a balance between AI advancement and ethical considerations.

While continuing to nurture an enabling environment for technology companies, including those focusing on web3 business setup in Dubaiandweb3 development services in Dubai, the UAE is building its Dubai AI capabilities and thereby setting an example for other countries interested in AI leadership. This, in turn, not only enhances the position of the country in the global tech landscape but also contributes to shaping the future of AI governance and policies.


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