UAE broadens AI deployment across essential public services

Artificial intelligence is becoming embedded across government services, education, healthcare and transport in the UAE, as new adoption figures confirm the country retains the world’s highest measured rate of generative AI use.

Microsoft’s latest Global AI Diffusion Report, covering the second quarter of 2026, places UAE usage at 73.3 per cent of the working-age population, up from 70.1 per cent in the first quarter. Singapore followed at 64.3 per cent, while the worldwide average reached 18.8 per cent.

The updated figures, published in September, extend the lead established earlier this year when the UAE became the first economy to exceed 70 per cent under Microsoft’s measurement. The first-quarter global average was 17.8 per cent, underscoring the substantial difference between adoption in the Emirates and worldwide usage.

The indicator measures the proportion of people aged 15 to 64 using a generative AI product during the reporting period. Microsoft derives its estimates from aggregated, anonymised usage data, adjusted for differences in device markets, internet access and population. It does not measure the effectiveness of government programmes or the economic returns from AI investment.

The figures coincide with a federal programme to introduce agentic AI, systems designed to undertake tasks and execute decisions with greater autonomy, across half of government sectors, services and operations within two years. The initiative was announced in April, with ministries subsequently assigned responsibilities under a Cabinet-approved implementation framework.

At a September meeting chaired by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the Ministerial Council for Artificial Intelligence and Development reviewed the project’s second phase and associated national initiatives. The programme remains an implementation target rather than a completed transformation of federal services.

The government has also approved establishing an Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority to bring public data, AI capabilities and digital government functions into a more coordinated national structure. Officials say the arrangement is intended to improve decisions and streamline services, although outcomes will depend on implementation across individual agencies.

Abu Dhabi is pursuing a separate ambition to become an AI-native government by 2027. Its AINative training programme, developed with Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI and Microsoft, aims to equip 20,000 government employees with relevant skills by the end of this year.

Other emirates are developing their own programmes. Dubai has introduced an accelerator focused on agentic AI for government services, while Sharjah and Ajman have announced initiatives addressing institutional adoption, technical capabilities and governance. Such efforts are intended to make automation useful in routine administration rather than confining it to experimental projects.

Education authorities are expanding professional training alongside classroom applications. The Ministry of Education and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University launched a national AI upskilling programme for teachers in May, designed to help educators use the technology in teaching and learning activities.

The ministry subsequently introduced its NOVA project to use AI and institutional data to support operational decisions and educational services. More than 24,000 teachers, school leaders and specialists participated in professional development activities during the specialised training week for the 2026–2027 academic year, alongside dedicated AI courses.

Healthcare organisations are applying AI to medical imaging, diagnostics and the prediction of complications, while developing applications involving genomics and personalised treatment. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has announced an AI-powered surgical network linking operating theatres through shared digital infrastructure. Emirates Health Services has also pursued a medical imaging initiative focused on moving from detection towards prediction.

These applications raise practical questions about clinical validation, patient privacy and professional oversight. Health authorities have identified standards, regulation and ethical safeguards as part of their work on digital healthcare, with AI systems intended to support rather than automatically replace clinical judgement.

Transport authorities are meanwhile exploring AI for traffic management, network planning and passenger services. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has continued incorporating the technology into transport systems, while Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are pursuing tools intended to improve traffic operations and safety.

Ajman’s Future of Transport Hackathon 2026 produced proposals including an agentic AI transport system and a decision-support platform. Those proposals illustrate the range of applications under consideration, although their development does not establish that they have entered operational service.