How Dubai is using AI to transform public services and build a future-ready government

Dubai: As artificial intelligence becomes central to how governments and cities operate, Dubai is placing AI at the heart of its strategy to become a global digital leader. From citywide chatbot services to autonomous systems that can make decisions in real time, AI is not just powering Dubai’s future, it’s already shaping the present.

In this interview, Ali Al Khajah, Chief AI Officer at Digital Dubai Government Establishment, shares how the government is using AI to drive innovation, improve services, and build a smart city that puts people first.

How is Digital Dubai leveraging artificial intelligence to drive the emirate’s ambition of global digital leadership?

“Artificial intelligence is a foundational pillar in our strategy to digitalize life in Dubai. It reflects the city’s unwavering commitment to harnessing advanced technologies to improve quality of life, streamline services, and build a dynamic, competitive digital economy.”

One of the biggest milestones has been the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy marked a significant step in accelerating the adoption of AI across sectors. 

The Centre’s goal is to make Dubai a leader in AI-powered governance and innovation. Key targets include:

• Training 1,000 government employees in AI

• Launching 20 AI pilot projects

• Partnering with 20 AI-specialised startups

• Boosting government productivity by 20 per cent

Digital Dubai is working closely with local and global partners to implement these goals. Initiatives like the AI Lab, in collaboration with IBM, provide a testing ground for practical applications in smart governance.

From idea to impact: Current AI projects shaping daily life

Dubai has already introduced several AI-powered services that support the broader  adoption of artificial intelligence. The city unveiled the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI, a strategic plan designed to harness AI to improve quality of life and support the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) by contributing Dh100 billion annually to the digital economy.

In 2025, Digital Dubai and Dubai Future Foundation released the first Dubai State of AI Report, showcasing active AI applications across government, including predictive healthcare, digital twins, licensing, procurement, and fraud detection

Key projects led by Digital Dubai include:

• DubaiAI: A generative AI-powered platform offering trusted, real-time information across city sectors from healthcare to transport, available at chat.dubai.ae.

• Madinati: An AI solution that allows residents to report city issues using images, with automatic issue recognition and complaint generation.

• AI in Hiring and Development: Tools that streamline government recruitment and personalize employee training plans, saving up to 90 per cent of administrative time.

• AI in Procurement: A system that analyzes vendor proposals and provides instant SWOT assessments to accelerate technical bid evaluation.

Dubai estimates AI could add over Dh235 billion to its economy by 2030, cementing its role as a global digital leader and advancing the UAE’s broader AI-driven development goals.

How does Digital Dubai determine which AI projects to pursue, given the technology’s broad potential across multiple sectors?

“When it comes to implementing AI, the primary driver is impact. Whether through cost savings, time efficiency, or most importantly enhancing the happiness of Dubai’s residents and visitors, our focus is on outcomes that matter,” Al Khajah said.

With a wide range of potential AI applications, Digital Dubai focuses on deploying human-centric solutions that bring real value to people’s lives. 

“We prioritize AI projects that deliver tangible benefits and align with our broader commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and digital excellence. We also welcome collaboration with companies that share our vision of building a smarter, more responsive city.”

The private sector’s role in AI innovation

Public-private partnerships are essential to AI development in Dubai. “We see the public-private partnership as a cornerstone of innovation. Our partnerships with leading local and international technology companies enable us to co-develop AI solutions that address Dubai’s specific urban, social, and economic priorities,” Al Khajah said. 

These partnerships have fueled advancements in areas such as generative AI, cognitive services, and responsible data ecosystems, ensuring our solutions are both cutting-edge and ethically grounded.

At the same time, Dubai is in regular dialogue with other global cities to share best practices and adapt international AI standards to local goals.

“Dubai welcomes all partners, local and global, who share our values of innovation, ethics, and public service excellence,” Al Khajah said. 

The future of Digital Dubai - Agentic AI

Currently, Al Khajah explained that Digital Dubai is focused on embedding artificial intelligence as a core capability within the city’s digital ecosystem, moving from automation to true intelligence that understands, adapts, and evolves.

Dubai is preparing for the shift to Agentic AI, an advanced form of artificial intelligence capable of independent decision-making, learning, and adaptation.

“As we advance, the next generation of AI, particularly Agentic AI will be a game-changer for digital government. Unlike traditional AI, which responds to prompts or queries, Agentic AI can act autonomously, make decisions, and continuously learn in dynamic environments. This unlocks unprecedented potential for proactive governance, hyper-personalized public services, and real-time problem solving at scale,” Al Khajah said. 

Al Khajah highlighted that Digital Dubai is shifting from systems that merely respond to citizen needs to ones that can anticipate and proactively meet them all in a responsible, secure, and ethical manner. 

With Agentic AI, digital government will evolve from being a service platform to becoming a true partner fundamentally transforming how people interact with public services.

To prepare for this, Digital Dubai is focusing on four strategic areas:

• Exerting efforts to elevate AI readiness across all government entities

• Expanding collaborations with global leaders in AI

• Strengthening data governance frameworks to support adaptive, intelligent systems

• And ensuring that the integration of Agentic AI upholds human-centric values, trust, and transparency.

“Ultimately, our vision is to create a digital city where AI enhances every interaction, improves every process, and supports a future that is efficient, inclusive, and centered around people,” Al Khajah said.