Abu Dhabi’s ambitious plan to become the world’s first native AI-powered government by 2027 is expected to set the stage for a leap in government services and job opportunities for Emiratis – experts foresee how.
The emirate’s government announced on Tuesday a budget of Dh13 billion to achieve its AI native government vision, which includes creating up to 5,000 job opportunities for local talent.
Shiva Pillai, a project delivery expert at an Abu Dhabi high-tech company, emphasised the transformative potential of becoming an AI-native government in areas like cybersecurity, disaster preparedness, healthcare, law enforcement, and procurement.
“It helps the government create better predictions for services that improve citizens’ quality of life, stimulate economic growth, and streamline decision-making,” he said.
However, it would not lack challenges such as data breaches and potential inequalities in service delivery due to incomplete or inconsistent data.
“AI runs successfully when clean data is available, and the system might not have equally full data for all citizens or residents. The more clean data an individual has in the system, the more benefits they would gain,” he explained, noting that clean data means information is consistent across all systems.
He shared examples from his own records, where inconsistencies in gender titles and variations in name spelling caused complications and delays during certain procedures.
Additionally, adopting an AI-native government requires a cultural shift to ensure widespread acceptance and adoption. Pillai pointed out that despite the availability of self-service machines at telecom or bank service centres, many people still prefer in-person assistance. Similarly, adapting to AI transformation will require a mindset shift among residents.
When it comes to job opportunities, Pillai said the demand will mainly be for machine learning engineers, AI engineers, data scientists, and robotics engineers, suggesting that these are the areas UAE nationals should focus their training efforts on.
On a similar note, Sultan Al Hajji, vice president of public affairs and alumni relations, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) said: “In the coming months and years, we will begin to see more roles at the intersection of AI and robotics, as well as many roles related to ethics and the development of ethical AI systems.”
“MBZUAI is at the forefront of training the next generation of AI practitioners through our M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, in addition to programs for leaders such as MEP, MEP-Accelerated, and tailored workshops,” he added.
Tech expert Sami Abd Alnour said the new strategy would also give rise to core AI roles including AI policy advisors, compliance officers, AI governance officers, and quality assurance specialists. It would also raise a demand for supporting specialists including designers, developers, cybersecurity experts, and trainers who implement and maintain AI systems.
“For UAE nationals, roles that combine AI with governance, ethics, and strategy are particularly attractive, as they align with the nation’s emphasis on responsible AI deployment and leadership in technological innovation.”
According to Abd Alnour, the implementation of Abu Dhabi’s AI-native government strategy calls for entirely new infrastructure.
“This unprecedented move demands extremely powerful computers and state-of-the-art data centres. The adoption of sovereign cloud computing across all government processes and operations will ensure data sovereignty, security, and scalability.”
A centralised enterprise system will be essential for streamlining processes and fostering smoother collaboration between government departments and private companies. Automation will play a pivotal role in reducing bureaucracy, “eliminating unnecessary steps in service delivery, and empowering AI-driven e-services to resolve issues efficiently.”
“This transformation will make life faster, smoother, and more convenient for citizens.”
“Proactive monitoring systems enabled by AI will ensure the government remains secure and prepared for future challenges.”
Personal information will be better protected and cyberattacks will be mitigated, he added.
Reflecting on what it means to be a fully native AI government, he described it as “the integration of AI across all facets of governance, from decision-making and administrative tasks to citizen interactions and strategic planning.”
Key benefits include streamlined operations, enhanced decision-making through real-time insights and predictive analytics, cost reduction, as well as improved citizen experiences through faster, more accessible service, he concluded.
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