Abu Dhabi: The government launched the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the second and last day of the annual government meetings in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
The strategy aims to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to increase its contribution to the national economy by means of advancing innovation and future technologies.
Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and Chairman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council, affirmed that the strategy reflects the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to position the UAE as a global model in adopting leading-edge technologies to serve society and achieve happiness and sustainability.
Al Gergawi called for intensifying efforts to achieve the vision of the UAE as a leading hub for the fourth industrial revolution. He pointed out that this vision will only be possible by means of cooperation, team work and effective partnerships between government entities.
The UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution focuses on a number of key fields, including innovative education, which will provide a smart and enhanced learning experience capable of providing the necessary expertise to develop advanced technologies such as science, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.
Health sector
The strategy will transform the health and medical industry in the UAE through the introduction of intelligent genomic medicine. The adoption of intelligent and personal genomic medicine will boost the UAE’s position as a global centre for future health care and will enhance medical tourism in the UAE.
The strategy will also focus on robotic health care and adopt research in nanotechnology to facilitate the application of telemedicine and advance the overall health-care services in the UAE. It will introduce cutting-edge medical solutions such as wearable and implantable technologies.
Water and food security
The strategy also aims to achieve future security by ensuring water and food security based on the use of bioengineering sciences and advanced renewable energy technologies. It also seeks to enhance economic security through adopting digital economy and blockchain technologies in financial transactions and services.
Future planning
The strategy also sets out to optimise the utilisation of satellite data in the planning of future cities, and to develop advanced defence industries by developing national industries in the field of robotics and autonomous vehicle technologies.
The strategy outlines the path to achieve the future experience of government services by providing intelligent and interactive services round the clock to achieve customers’ happiness and to position the UAE as a model for interactive cities using artificial intelligence to achieve sustainability.
Other areas outlined in the strategy include 3D printing projects and the shift from centralised power plants to the decentralisation of power generation as well as space exploration and the development of associated technologies.
Fusion of technologies
The strategy is characterised by a fusion of technologies blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Physical technology is easily recognisable due to its tangible nature, including self-driving cars, 3D printing, and robots. Digital technology is the Internet of Things, massive data hubs and artificial intelligence, and biotechnology is the science of genetics, which is a major contributor to understanding most serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancer.
