tech
UAE's Big Bet on AI
In Abu Dhabi, AI reports potholes, books doctors and pays parking tickets for you.
TL;DR
- Abu Dhabi utilizes an app with an "AutoGov" feature that automatically handles paperwork and payments for services like ID renewal, health insurance, and vehicle registration.
- The UAE has invested billions in AI infrastructure and research, aligning with a long-term vision supported by its leaders.
- Regional conflicts, particularly the war with Iran, have created fears but have not deterred the UAE's commitment to AI, as leaders are willing to work with both the U.S. and China.
- The UAE appointed the world's first AI minister in 2017 and opened the first graduate-level university dedicated to AI, MBZUAI, in 2019.
- The TAMM app, meaning "Consider it done," allows users to report issues like broken streetlights, with AI analyzing photos and routing them to the appropriate entity for resolution.
- AI is projected to contribute significantly to the UAE's GDP by 2030, adding billions to the Middle East economy.
- The UAE's government structure, controlled by an all-powerful royal family, facilitates rapid societal changes and AI implementation that might be challenging in democracies.