Team Blitz India
ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) will lead the UAE’s development for the next “185 years,” according to Omar Sultan AlOlama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
“AI is not a future vision; it is our reality now. In Dubai, we operate differently. Our long-term vision for our physical infrastructure began in 1958, and it took 185 years until 2023 for Dubai’s infrastructure to be considered among the best in the world. Similarly, with AI, we are looking at implementing our AI vision for the next 185 years, starting today,” AlOlama said. He urged the private sector to embark on AI journey from Dubai, highlighting the city’s enabling legislation and the integral role of AI in DUB-AI.
The first-of-its-kind AI Retreat, hosted at the iconic Museum of the Future and AREA 2071, welcomed over 2,500 UAE leaders, AI experts, policymakers, government officials, and industry stakeholders. This event, the largest AI gathering globally, facilitated discussions on AI legislation, ethical AI use, and the best methods for convening AI communities and talent.
Participants also shared insights on implementing AI applications as solutions to local and global challenges. Discussions at the AI Retreat focused on AI legislation, policy, and the ethical use of AI. AlOlama emphasised the need for continuous adaptation to this dynamic technology, urging participants to use available tools effectively to stay competitive and avoid lagging in the global AI race.
“The UAE’s visionary leadership aims to develop a leading, proactive, and future-oriented model for Dubai,” AlOlama said. He highlighted the establishment of a platform for AI discourse and the recent appointment of 22 Chief AI Officers across Dubai’s government departments. Each officer was selected based on their skills to advance Dubai’s AI vision.
AlOlama announced an initiative to train one million proficient engineers, stressing the immediate relevance of these skills in elevating the nation’s power. This commitment has propelled the UAE to rank third globally in attracting AI talent relative to its population size, following Luxembourg and Switzerland, and first regionally. The UAE also climbed to 15th globally for AI skills, up from 20th last year, according to a LinkedIn report in collaboration with Stanford University.
