17-07-2025
Dubai Unveils Human-Machine Content Classification Icons
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H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, has approved the launch of a global classification system for human-machine collaboration in content creation.
The Human-Machine Collaboration (HMC) classification system, developed by the Dubai Future Foundation, was revealed as a tool to help differentiate between human and machine involvement in the research, production, and publication of creative, scientific, academic, and intellectual content.
Sheikh Hamdan stated that distinguishing between human creativity and artificial intelligence has become increasingly difficult due to rapid technological advancements. He said this new approach is aimed at recognising the evolving role of intelligent machines in content generation.
'We launched the world's first Human–Machine Collaboration Icons to bring transparency to how research documents, publications, and content are created,' he said. He also invited researchers, writers, publishers, designers, and content creators globally to adopt and use the classification system responsibly.
The HMC classification introduces five icons to indicate levels of human-machine involvement: All Human : No machine used in content creation
: No machine used in content creation Human Led : Machine used only for enhancement or correction
: Machine used only for enhancement or correction Machine Assisted : Humans and machines worked together
: Humans and machines worked together Machine Led : Machine led with human quality control
: Machine led with human quality control All Machine: Fully machine-generated with no human input
Additionally, nine functional icons identify specific stages where human–machine collaboration occurred. These include ideation, literature review, data collection, analysis, interpretation, writing, translation, visuals, and design.
The system is designed to be flexible across sectors and content formats, including images and videos. While it does not assign specific percentages to human or machine input, it provides a visual representation for transparency.
Sheikh Hamdan directed all Dubai Government entities to begin implementing the HMC classification in their research and content-related work.
The Dubai Future Foundation reported that the classification defines intelligent machines as technologies such as algorithms, automation tools, generative AI, and robotics that play a role in the content creation process.
To learn more and access the Human-Machine Collaboration icons, visit:
