Dubai, June 14 (WAM) - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the establishment of the Federal Authority for Artificial Intelligence and Data in a new strategic move aimed at unifying data systems, artificial intelligence, and digital government on a national level. This will enhance the readiness of the Government of the UAE to enter a new phase of digital transformation supported by artificial intelligence.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that the UAE is continuing to develop a more efficient, flexible, and proactive global model for governance based on data and artificial intelligence in decision-making, government service development, and improving quality of life. This will enhance the country’s competitiveness and global leadership in the digital economy.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “We have approved the establishment of the Federal Authority for Artificial Intelligence and Data to be the unified national umbrella for managing data, artificial intelligence, and digital government in the UAE. It will follow the Council of Ministers, and we have tasked Omar Sultan Al Olama with leading the authority. Our goal is a more efficient, flexible, and proactive government that utilizes technology to serve people and create a better future for future generations.

He added: “We are continuing to develop the government of the future, a government supported by data and artificial intelligence tools that will be faster in performance, decision-making, efficiency, and capable of serving people, creating the best opportunities, and developing services.”

This step is part of the vision of the United Arab Emirates to anticipate global transformations, accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, and build a unified digital government system based on efficiency, flexibility, and readiness for the future.

The new authority will take over the responsibilities and resources related to data, artificial intelligence, and digital governance, including the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, the Information and Digital Government Sector in the General Authority for Communication Regulation and Digital Government, and the UAE Data Office.

His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, has been appointed as the chairman of the new authority, which will strengthen national efforts and unify government approaches in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

The new authority will lead the data, artificial intelligence, and digital governance system in the country under a unified umbrella, ensuring the integration of digital policies, initiatives, and projects at the national level, enhancing the efficiency of government work, and developing proactive digital government services.

The most prominent responsibilities of the authority include unifying national priorities and approaches supporting a unified digital government system using "Agentic AI" technologies, proposing national policies, legislation, and strategies, and ensuring coordination and integration between digital initiatives and projects at both the federal and local levels.

The Authority will also develop and lead the AI strategy, increase its contribution to the country’s GDP, manage and integrate government data, ensure its quality, standardization, availability, and sharing among entities according to advanced governance frameworks. It will also develop and operate national data platforms supported by AI technologies to support data-driven decision-making in the government.

The Authority is also responsible for enabling the effective use of data in developing AI applications in various vital sectors, developing the federal digital infrastructure and enhancing its readiness to support integration and interconnection between government systems and platforms. It will manage the design and delivery of integrated proactive digital government services that employ AI to enhance the user experience, as well as using data and AI technologies to design and deliver integrated proactive digital services that enhance the user experience by simplifying procedures and integrating channels.

The Authority will also develop standards, specifications, and work guides in the fields of data management, AI, digital transformation, government services, ensuring compliance with them by federal entities. It will unify research and development efforts and build national capacity in the fields of AI and digital transformation, provide technical consulting to various federal entities, coordinate internationally and build partnerships in the fields of AI, data, and e-government, and enable support for cybersecurity efforts and manage government information security, thus establishing the UAE’s position as a global center for digital innovation and smart government solutions.