‘This journey didn't start today': Dubai govt official says AI strategy built on decade of digital transformation

Arabian Business

22-05-2025

Dubai's artificial intelligence strategy builds on more than a decade of digital transformation rather than starting from scratch, with the emirate implementing AI policies that include built-in expiry dates to stay current with rapid technological change, a senior government official said on Thursday.
'The journey didn't start today with digitisation. We looked at it layer by layer,' Younus Al Nasser, CEO of Dubai Data & Statistics Establishment under Digital Dubai, told a panel at the GITEX Europe technology exhibition in Berlin, referencing infrastructure development from 2014-2020.
'Now with AI, you wrap everything else with security. It's not completely fresh – you tweak it for the purpose of AI,' he said.
Dubai's evolving AI governance
Al Nasser said Dubai has established a comprehensive AI governance framework that includes automatic policy renewals to ensure they remain relevant as technology evolves.
'For each policy we have an expiry date,' he said during the 'AI's Hidden Costs' panel discussion. 'We need to renew our policy and remain relevant to the time today.'
The Dubai official outlined a dual approach to AI implementation, distinguishing between controlled experimentation for future benefits and immediate productivity gains.
'Each organisation needs a governance framework for AI,' Al Nasser said. 'We do have an AI policy that's going into implementation across Dubai, looking at governance elements of data, how you prioritise use cases and identify return on investment.'
He highlighted that AI strategies must deliver tangible business value while maintaining ethical standards.
'When you look into future proofing, this is where experimentation comes in, and you definitely need to have in place a safe environment to do that kind of experimentation,' Al Nasser said. 'But when you look into return on investment today, this is where we are enhancing efficiency, increasing productivity.'
The policy framework examines whether AI implementations are inclusive, safe, and sustainable, he said.
'At the end of the day, you need to derive value, but you need to do it in a sustainable way,' Al Nasser said.
The official stressed the importance of maintaining adaptable policies in the fast-moving AI landscape.
'You need to strike the right balance – adaptable and agile,' he said.
Dubai has positioned itself as a regional leader in AI adoption, with Digital Dubai overseeing more than 130 initiatives, including AI roadmaps and ethics frameworks. The UAE has made significant strides in AI readiness, with Boston Consulting Group's 2024 AI Maturity Matrix classifying it as an 'AI Contender' among the top 32 emerging economies.
The emirate recently climbed eight positions to rank 4th globally in the IMD Smart City Index 2025, marking its highest-ever placement. The UAE also secured 11th position globally in the UN E-Government Development Index 2024, ranking first globally in telecommunications infrastructure.
Europe AI adoption challenges
Other panellists highlighted implementation challenges facing European companies. Antonia Bruhn, Head of Data Policy DACH at Amazon Web Services, said European firms spend 40 per cent of their technology budgets on regulatory compliance, describing the regulatory environment as 'playing a puzzle where the pieces keep changing.'
Dr. Carolina Pinart, who leads AI strategy for Nestle, said the food giant has adopted a 'responsible AI is the only way' approach with governance frameworks and strategic partnerships. 'We diversify AI products and also have strategic partnerships,' she said, noting that Nestle uses controlled AI instances where 'no data moves out.'
GITEX Europe is running from May 21-23 in Berlin, marking the first European edition of the Dubai-born technology exhibition.