UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The UAE government sets national policies and invests in AI with the aim of making the UAE the world’s most prepared country for AI, and a global leader in AI by 2031.

In 2019, the government adopted the ‘UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031’. The strategy aims to achieve the objectives of UAE Centennial 2071, boost government performance at all levels, use an integrated smart digital system that can overcome challenges and provide quick efficient solutions, make the UAE the first in the field of AI investments in various sectors, and create a new vital market with high economic value.

The strategy covers the development and application of AI in nine sectors: transport, health, space, renewable energy, water, technology, education, environment, and traffic. It also outlines objectives related to the development of AI capabilities and skills at the national level; the integration of AI into public, medical, and security services; and the elaboration of regulations on the safe use of AI.

The UAE Cabinet formed the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence, which oversees AI integration in government departments and the education sector, proposes policies to create an AI-friendly ecosystem, encourages advanced research, and promotes collaboration between the public and private sectors. It is also responsible for implementing the UAE AI strategy.

The prime minister has also appointed a Minister of AI, who is the first minister of AI in the world. The Office of the UAE Minister of AI houses the UAE National Program for Artificial Intelligence (BRAIN), a compilation of resources that highlight advances in AI and robotics, with special emphasis on the UAE’s policy objective to become a leading participant in the responsible use of AI and its tools. Since 2019, BRAIN has been hosting the international AI Everything Summit for Governments and Businesses. Sponsors include Huawei, IBM, and Microsoft.

The UAE also aims to equip citizens with skills for future jobs. For instance, BRAIN runs a one-year AI training programme for government employees, and has also partnered with Dell Technologies to train 500 Emirati students in AI via an Artificial Intelligence Internship Program. The Office of the UAE Minister of AI has been leading the AI Summer Camp since 2018, where participants are trained to understand AI from various technology companies such as Microsoft and IBM. The UAE is also introducing AI into schools and is the first country to establish an AI University, the Mohammad Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).

In 2015, the government launched the AI and Robotics Award for Good to encourage the research and application of innovative solutions in AI and robotics in health, education, and social services. The award was one of the initiatives of the International Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which was formed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum during the Global Agenda Council in 2016.

The Ministry of AI launched an initiative Think AI which is focused on accelerating the integration of AI in strategic sectors such as infrastructure and governance.

The Dubai Future Foundation, which was set up to shape the future of the strategic sectors, leads the Dubai Future Accelerators programme that addresses seven key twenty-first century opportunities, among them AI and robotics.

The airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi use facial recognition to validate passport data of the travelers. Dubai’s ‘Biometric Passenger Journey’ uses an iris and facial scan. The Abu Dhabi ‘Smart Travel’ initiative that has been implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and Abu Dhabi Police, uses a facial scan. The country is also exploring AI applications for the national security, military, and defence sectors.

The UAE also engages in bilateral and international cooperation in AI. For instance, in 2018 India and the UAE signed an agreement to explore ways in which both countries can strengthen their AI economies. In 2019, the USA and the UAE issued a Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence Cooperation, agreeing to explore the potential to expand the US-UAE Strategic Dialogue to include cooperation on areas of mutual interest in AI.

ROBOTICS

The UAE works intensely on fostering the development and deployment of robotics solutions in various sectors.

Robotic healthcare is one of the key fields of the ‘UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ adopted in 2017. The Ministry of Health and Prevention uses robots for heart surgery, as well as in obstetrics and gynaecology. It has launched a robotic pharmacy to deliver medicine to the external clinics of Al Fujairah Hospital.

Robots are also used for public services – in the police force in Dubai, as lifeguards on Dubai’s beaches, in the happiness centres of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, to produce car licence plates, for cleaning Dubai Metro stations, and for advising citizens who live in Dubai on the necessary procedures, documents, and requirements to conduct various transactions.

The city of Dubai has stated that it is planning to make robots 25% of its police force by 2030, and to make 25% of the transport in Dubai driverless by that same year.

The government also hosts robotics contests, such as the First Global Robotics Challenge, and the Challenge of Ocean Opportunities. In addition, it has launched the AI and Robotics Award for Good, as well as Drones for Good Award.

Robotics applications for the military and defence sectors are another area of interest of the UAE. For instance, the government has backed the launch of defence conglomerate EDGE, which specialises in developing robotic soldiers, smart drones, and other similar applications.

5G

In line with the vision of the UAE 2021, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) aims to be the main driver in launching the fifth generation of mobile commercial services in the country. The authority announced the implementation of 5G in December 2017, and is working with strategic partners to make UAE a leading country in deploying 5G.

TRA has opened a ‘5G & IoT Joint OpenLab’ in Dubai with Huawei in 2019.

In October 2019 the UAE was declared the first in the Arab region and fourth globally in launching and deploying 5G networks, according to the global connectivity index issued by Carphone Warehouse.

BLOCKCHAIN

According to the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the country can enhance its economic security by adopting digital economy and blockchain technologies in financial transactions and services.

The UAE has a nation-wide ‘Blockchain Strategy’, which aims that by 2021, 50% of all government transactions on the federal level will be conducted  using blockchain technology. During the launch of the strategy, the Sheik announced that the government will use training courses, events, workshops, and reports to build its standing in blockchain, and support university courses specialising in the field and related subjects, such as encryption.

The city of Dubai also has a ‘Blockchain strategy’ which aims to establish it as the first city fully powered by blockchain. The Dubai Future Foundation established the Global Blockchain Council to explore current and future applications, and organise transactions through blockchain. The council consists of 46 members, including Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco.

The Dubai Future Foundation and the World Economic Forum (WEF) established the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR UAE). In 2019, the centre and the WEF developed a blockchain accelerator programme which will test blockchain government frameworks, and will also test other technologies in the future, including AI, machine learning, and precision medicine.

The Dubai Future Foundation, which was set up to shape the future of the strategic sectors, leads the Dubai Future Accelerators programme that addresses seven key twenty-first century opportunities, among them distributed ledgers.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it is working on a project to create a vehicle lifecycle management system using blockchain technology.

In 2020, the Department of Economic Development (DED) of Dubai has launched a Know Your Customer (KYC) blockchain consortium with six major banks.

AUGMENTED/VIRTUAL REALITY

Several projects and initiatives have been launched across the UAE taking advantage of the opportunities of augmented and virtual reality (VR). For instance, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced its plans to introduce virtual reality for rehabilitation of stroke patients, patients suffering from balance disorder, and children with developmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s syndrome. The Municipality of Dubai has established The Smart Training Hub, a VR training centre to enable trainees to learn about urban planning, and building supervision and control. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation offers a virtual tour of the Barakh nuclear energy plant. The government also offers a VR tour of the international city it plans to build on Mars by 2117.

QUANTUM COMPUTING

The UAE is investing in quantum computing and its innovative applications to enable innovation and a sustainable knowledge-based economy.

The government supports the Quantum Computing Research Group (QCRG) at Khalifa University. The group conducts research on quantum computing and its innovative applications, such as communication protocols which offer secure communication, efficient big data analytics, enhanced imaging, machine learning and AI, materials science, and efficient energy harvesting.

In 2018, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Microsoft organised an intensive quantum computing training programme, which aimed to develop new solutions based on quantum computing for the production, transmission, distribution, and conservation of energy and water.

INTERNET OF THINGS

According to the UAE Vision 2021, the government aims to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment, and to achieve a perfect balance between economic and social development. To that end, the government has initiated efforts to transform Abu Dhabi and Dubai into smart sustainable cities.

Efforts in Abu Dhabi include TAMM-Abu Dhabi Government Services, a one stop shop portal from the Abu Dhabi Government; the CityGuard app through which citizens can raise a complaint or an issue with the Abu Dhabi Government; and, free wi-fi in taxis. In Dubai, the smart city concept includes around 1000 smart government services in areas such as smart transport, optimising energy resources, smart parks, and public safety services.