UAE is world's most prepared nation for AI adoption: Al Gergawi

Dubai: The UAE is the world's most prepared and mature country in adopting artificial intelligence, Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Agentic AI Project Executive Committee, said as the government accelerates plans to embed AI across public services and operations.

Speaking during the Agentic AI workshop organised by the Presidential Court and the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in Dubai, Al Gergawi said the UAE is entering a new phase of government transformation centred on the use of AI agents in the design of services, policies and procedures.

The event brought together 600 employees from both entities and focused on the next stage of AI-enabled government transformation, including new operating models aimed at improving efficiency, enhancing decision-making and accelerating service delivery.

Al Gergawi said directives to convert 50 per cent of government operations, procedures and services into AI assistant-supported models within two years represented a strategic step towards redesigning government work and improving productivity and service quality.

"The world is witnessing a fundamental transformation driven by artificial intelligence applications," he said. "Thanks to its proactive vision and early investments, the UAE occupies a leading global position in terms of readiness to adopt these transformations and harness them for development."

He stressed that AI agents are intended to enhance human capabilities rather than replace people, enabling greater creativity, innovation and impact across government functions.

The workshop featured a series of specialised sessions and interactive workshops developed in collaboration with international technology partners and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. Seven specialist tracks explored ways to accelerate the adoption of AI assistants in government workplaces.

Al Gergawi also announced the launch of a Dh1 million award recognising the three best AI agents developed within the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, aimed at encouraging innovation and promoting practical applications that improve government performance.

UAE officials outlined the upcoming transformation plan that includes redesigning government processes and specialised functions using AI-powered technologies, with objectives including faster delivery, higher-quality outputs, improved information reliability and stronger decision-making support.

The roadmap also includes training employees to use AI agent tools and reducing the time required for institutional support functions, policy development, strategy formulation and legislative work while maintaining high standards of quality, security and governance.

During the event, Shamsa Jaber Al Falasi, Executive Director of Transformation and Development at the Presidential Court, highlighted efforts to build advanced national capabilities in artificial intelligence. She said meaningful transformation begins not with technology alone but with changing the way people think and make decisions.

She also outlined initiatives including sovereign AI infrastructure, the Diwan GPT platform and dedicated AI capability-building programmes for employees.

The event included a panel discussion featuring Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; Maryam Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Cabinet; and Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs.

Participants discussed the transition from AI experimentation to full institutional adoption and reviewed AI tools developed to support Cabinet operations, strategic planning, legislation and policy development.

The UAE government announced in April a national project to transform 50 per cent of government operations, procedures and services into AI assistant-supported models within two years, in a move aimed at boosting government efficiency, improving service quality and reinforcing the country's position as a global leader in designing the governments of the future.