Sheikh Hamdan launches Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence

Image: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), announced the launch of the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI).  The new entity aims to assist government departments in deploying future technologies across key sectors.

The Dubai Centre for AI aims to train 1,000 government employees from over 30 government entities on the uses of generative artificial intelligence. It also aims to launch dozens of pilot projects and improve government services, as well as increase productivity of government employees and support more than 20 local and global advanced technology startups, reported state news agency WAM.

Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai continues to rapidly advance its adoption of new artificial intelligence and future technologies in step with the evolution of global technology innovation. This aligns with the vision and directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to position the emirate as a global leader in preparing for emerging opportunities and challenges, as well as shaping the future.

“Dubai’s government will be the best in the world in deploying artificial intelligence (AI) within its various entities. This new Centre is the first step in achieving this goal and developing future services to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.” Sheikh Hamdan encouraged employees across all Dubai’s government entities to apply generative AI tools to enhance productivity and optimise government services.

He added, “We aim to see practical applications of generative AI technologies in our government sector. Technological development is moving very rapidly, and in Dubai we are determined to be just as fast in testing and harnessing it for the benefit of society. We want new AI-powered government tools to have a clear impact and tangible results.”

The launch event was attended Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

“We are confident that developing AI applications will contribute significantly to actualising Dubai’s vision for the future. The technological leaps we see today will only be the beginning of our journey towards an entirely new and different future, with transformative changes in health, education, economy, media and government sectors,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

The Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Media Council and Dubai Digital Authority will oversee the implementation of the Dubai Centre for AI’s goals and outcomes in cooperation with relevant authorities, with a focus on developing legislation related to AI applications, attracting top global technological solutions and developing national talent.

The launch of the initiative forms part of implementing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s directives to apply the latest AI technologies in varied sectors. The establishment of the Centre comes at a time when the generative AI sector is expected to expand from $10bn in 2022 to $110.8bn by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate of 34.3 per cent, according to reports.

Generative AI will account for 10 per cent of all data produced by 2025. Meanwhile, in the healthcare space, more than 30 percent of new drugs and materials are also expected to be systematically discovered via generative AI techniques within the next two years.

Generative artificial intelligence in government

The Dubai Centre for AI will enhance the performance of the government sector in various ways. For instance, it will use AI to conduct simulations that study the changes and impacts of new policies and legislation, predict results of different scenarios, evaluate the effectiveness of programmes, and support complex decision-making.

The Centre will bolster the development of government services by predicting user needs and preferences. It will establish communication channels to streamline public services and employ data analysis tools to identify trends and insights that can help government entities in making informed decisions. Generative AI will also be harnessed to ensure the delivery of superior government services tailored to the needs of Dubai residents.

The Dubai Centre for AI is designed to serve as a collaborative platform for the government, private and academic sectors to develop AI applications and introduce innovative services and products, incorporating the most advanced technologies.