Artificial intelligence is often viewed through the lens of cutting-edge chips, powerful computing infrastructure and large language models. While these technologies dominate the conversation, they tell only part of the story. The UAE has taken a markedly different approach; one that recognises people, not technology, as the true catalyst of AI-driven progress.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has articulated this vision with clarity, setting the ambition for the UAE to become the world’s most prepared nation for artificial intelligence. Achieving that goal requires far more than investment in infrastructure. It demands investment in teachers, coders, researchers and students; the people who will ultimately shape how AI is applied. The UAE understands what many markets are still debating: technology creates value only when people direct its purpose.
The UAE National AI Strategy 2031 reflects this philosophy. While its target of generating AED 335 billion in AI-driven economic value by 2030, equivalent to 13.6 per cent of GDP, often captures headlines, the strategy’s defining strength lies elsewhere. It positions talent as the prerequisite for progress and technology as the enabler, rather than the other way around.
That same thinking is embedded in the UAE Centennial 2071 vision. Two of its four pillars focus directly on human development through excellent education and a diversified knowledge economy, placing them alongside technological advancement rather than beneath it. The sequencing is deliberate. It reflects a national belief that artificial intelligence should amplify human potential instead of replacing it.
The UAE has backed this philosophy with decisive action. In 2017, it became the first country to appoint a Minister for Artificial Intelligence, with Omar Sultan Al Olama taking on the role even before the launch of the National AI Strategy. That decision signalled that AI readiness would be treated not as a future aspiration but as a governance priority.
The country’s investment in talent has continued to accelerate. The Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the world’s first university dedicated entirely to AI, now hosts 653 students and ranks among the top 20 AI research institutions globally. More than 30 per cent of its students are women, highlighting a commitment to building an inclusive talent pipeline from the outset.
Large-scale initiatives have further strengthened this foundation. The One Million Arab Coders programme has attracted participants from 80 countries, generating more than one million registrations and five million training hours. The Dubai AI Campus welcomed over 120 companies within its first six months and aims to create 3,000 jobs by 2028. More recently, the UAE became the first country in the Middle East to mandate AI education across every school grade, embedding artificial intelligence into the national curriculum from the 2025 academic year. These are not isolated initiatives, they are structural investments in the country’s future workforce.
The results are already becoming evident. The Stanford AI Index ranks the UAE first globally for growth in AI talent concentration, recording a 121 per cent increase between 2019 and 2025. It also ranks second worldwide for net AI talent migration, while the Stanford HAI AI Vibrancy Index places the country fifth globally. Talent follows opportunity, and the UAE has created that opportunity with clear intent.
Today, more than 80 per cent of employees in the UAE regularly use AI at work, a level of adoption that surpasses many developed markets. It suggests AI is no longer viewed as an emerging technology but as a practical tool for improving productivity across industries.
The Middle East is not adopting AI incrementally; it is building an economy with AI at its core. Our $500 million investment in Saudi Arabia and our commitment to upskill 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030 reflect our confidence in the region’s long-term trajectory. The first cohort at Princess Nourah University has already equipped more than 450 women with AI and digital skills, preparing them to shape the next generation of digital innovation.
These investments reinforce an important lesson. Successful AI strategies are built around people. Digital labour and agentic AI will increasingly handle repetitive tasks, allowing individuals to focus on strategy, creativity and stronger customer relationships. Unlocking that potential, however, requires sustained investment in skills, leadership and workforce development.
The UAE has demonstrated that discipline at a national level. As Sheikh Saif bin Zayed observed, the country does not wait for the future, it creates it. That future will ultimately be shaped not by algorithms alone, but by the people who design, govern and apply them. The UAE has placed human capital at the centre of its AI journey, and that may prove to be its greatest competitive advantage.
The views expressed in this column are his own and do not represent the editorial position of Global Leaders Today.
