Artificial Intelligence Investments in the UAE

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Fourth Industrial Revolution Strategy
United in Ambition and Determination Strategy
Government in 2071: Preparing for New Frontiers
Dubai Plan 2021: Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030
The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030
The UAE Industrial Strategy “Operation 300bn”
AI and UAE
References

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates is globally known for its technological prowess and the application of the same in various sectors. Consequently, the country has made significant investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is the future of technology. To ensure that industries and citizens are ready for the full implementation of the innovation, UAE has created the National Strategy for AI. The plan acts as a foundation listing all objectives crucial in achieving related milestones. Moreover, it supports the UAE centennial 2071, which ensures that the region is ranked as the best country in innovation by 2071 (UAE National Strategy, n.d.). It is also important to note that this AI strategy will significantly impact UAE’s economy, education, and government development. One objective of the national strategy is to build a reputable name as an Artificial Intelligence destination. The other important listed goal is training talents in preparation for future jobs that will be AI-enabled. This implies that all industries in the country are supposed to fully embrace the plans meant to make AI an integral component of UAE’s operations.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution Strategy

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is one of the most significant milestones in securing future developments in the UAE. The component presents exceptional opportunities and numerous issues that should be evaluated, improved, and implemented. Consequently, the country aims to become a technology hub where interested parties worldwide can visit and collaborate in innovation-related experiments (The UAE Strategy, 2021). The strategy’s vision is to become a global lab for experimenting with innovations including AI, and this means that UAE has to be prepared to host scientists and groom home talents. Moreover, there are six pillars of the Fourth Industrial Revolution plans, including humans, security, experience, productivity, and frontiers, which have to be integrated to achieve related objectives.

United in Ambition and Determination Strategy

One of the values of the UAE that has contributed to the country’s excellence over the years is unity. The principle has been crucial in promoting perseverance and forward visioning, which originated from the country’s founding citizens who worked hard to build the country. UAE has made several significant achievements since its establishment and is currently ranked as one of the most developed regions globally. Consequently, the vision of the ambition and determination strategy is to use innovation and related knowledge to create an aggressive and robust economy founded on a powerful union (UAE Vision 2021, 2021). This plan aims to ensure UAE citizens work cohesively in improving the country’s living standards and achieving a sustainable environment. One of the components of the strategy is to support the heritage of the country’s founding fathers, which means the UAE has to remain among the most advanced nations. Consequently, this plan also applies to establishing a better future that will operate on artificial intelligence.

Government in 2071: Preparing for New Frontiers

This strategy was established by senior dignitaries of the UAE led by the country’s Prime Minister, Vice President, and the Ruler of Dubai during the annual World Government Summit of 2018. The purpose of the yearly meeting is always to discuss and exchange knowledge crucial in enhancing future developments of independent governments. Moreover, the summits propose milestones relating to technology and innovation meant to counter various challenges, and this should be achieved in a set timeline. Consequently, the Government in 2021 Guidebook was created from the summit, and its purpose was to prepare the country for future developments (Government in 2071 Guidebook, 2018). The document acknowledges robotics and automation as crucial megatrends that affect humanity. Even though they exhibit challenges, they also provide numerous opportunities for advancements. The guidebook gives strategies that UAE will use in assessing, supporting, and adopting evolving technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Dubai Plan 2021: Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030

Dubai is a significant tourist attraction recognized worldwide due to its technological advancements. Consequently, the implementation of the Dubai Plan 2021 has started, and to ensure its success, the UAE government has created an industrial strategy to facilitate the process. The plan is to be achieved by integrating economic sectors into the strategy to develop an attractive investment hub characterized by innovations (Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, 2021). Moreover, the Dubai Industrial Strategy targets six major industrial subunits, including pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, maritime, aerospace, machinery and equipment, and aluminum and fabricated metals. Artificial intelligence covers all these subsectors, and the mentioned industries must be ready to embrace and integrate it into operational activities.

The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030

As the capital of UAE, Abu Dhabi needs to lead in development if the overall economic objectives of the country are to be achieved. Consequently, in 2006, UAE’s leadership tasked the Abu Dhabi council of Economic Development to create an economic vision that will secure the Emirate’s future. Additionally, the plan is supported by the 2008 Abu Dhabi Policy Agenda, which involves stakeholders from the private and public sectors (The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision, 2021). One of the focus points of the strategy is developing a workforce that is both productive and highly skilled. Artificial intelligence is the future of human resources, and it will be essential to prepare future employees for the technology through training.

The UAE Industrial Strategy “Operation 300bn”

The UAE aims to achieve a sustainable national economy and has introduced The Industrial Strategy “Operation 300bn” to attain this objective through the industrial sector. Consequently, the government has commissioned the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology to develop projects that will empower over 13,500 businesses to increase the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to AED 300bn by 2021 (The UAE Industrial Strategy “Operation 300bn”, n.d.). One of the advantages of artificial intelligence is that it aids in the accomplishment of sophisticated tasks while minimizing the costs used. Consequently, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology will be keen on integrating AI into the programs and initiatives meant to improve the country’s GDP.

The Connection Between the Strategies and the Thesis

The thesis acknowledges that artificial intelligence is steadily becoming an essential part of private and public sectors, and therefore the United Arab Emirates is equally incorporating the technology into its operations. However, the paper also recognizes that the effectiveness of AI in various industrial activities strongly relies on preparedness. The technology can create both benefits and challenges for UAE’s industrial and economic sectors. Consequently, the discussed strategies are aligned to components of the thesis because they contain the government’s plans for technological developments. For instance, the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence focuses on building a good name regarding technological innovations globally. The strategies pointed out issues to be addressed in ensuring the UAE is among the top countries in AI advancements by training the current and future workforce.

AI and UAE

General Results of the Think AI Workshop

Artificial intelligence is a priority in UAE’s short-term and long-term plans, and as such, the country is keen to involve relevant stakeholders in ensuring its implementation and effectiveness. Consequently, the workshop organized by the government in May 2019 was meant to involve various professionals in identifying AI challenges and proposing relevant solutions. The 70 participants listed several issues hindering the successful implementation of artificial intelligence in different sectors. Trust was on top of the list, and this means that most individuals working in organizations that have embraced the technology are not confident in its use. Without the trust element, it is impossible to convince people to embrace AI fully.

Moreover, the participants also indicated a lack of understanding of the components of AI and how it works. The majority of people in the UAE only come into contact with technology when they get employed or in their final college years. This issue is directly related to trust because workers cannot have the confidence to use a particular tool if they do not understand its purpose. The other mentioned challenge was the underinvestment of artificial intelligence across UAE industries. The seriousness of AI can only be seen when the government makes noticeable investments in technology. If AI is to support UAE’s strategies regarding technological excellence, it has to show commitment by purchasing relevant materials and sponsoring related research.

Similarly, the participants also mentioned that there was high competition externally from global fast movers. As indicated in various UAE development strategies, the country aims at establishing its name as one of the most technologically developed nations globally. However, governments across the world have invested more in AI compared to UAE, making it impossible to attract investors and scientists. Another barrier to the implementation of artificial intelligence mentioned in the workshop is the absence of talent. AI entails sophisticated technology that requires the right expertise to use in various organizations effectively. Unfortunately, few professionals can understand how AI functions and how it can be used to benefit institutions.

Aside from the challenges, the participants also identified solutions that can enhance the application of the technology in the future. For instance, since UAE is classified among technologically advanced countries, it should focus on exporting AI innovations and ideas. Similarly, the nation is among the pioneers of AI and should therefore not act as followers. UAE should be at the forefront of investing in related innovations and sponsoring related research. Moreover, the government has to ensure that citizens and individuals in the workforce thoroughly understand artificial intelligence. The key to AI success in the country is to ensure people are confident enough to trust and interact with the technology.

Trust in the Use of Artificial Intelligence

Although predictions indicate that artificial intelligence will have a tremendous impact on UAE’s economic growth, participants of the workshop mentioned trust as a severe challenge to AI’s success. For instance, it was noted that the existing regulations relating to the use of artificial intelligence are not sufficient, and the ones in use tend to overlap. Rules are essential in communicating the importance of artificial intelligence to a team of employees. Additionally, it boosts people’s trust since all questions on AI can be answered by definitions of the regulations. Nonetheless, the overlap between the rules stipulated by various authorities makes it difficult for individuals to understand artificial intelligence functions.

The other issue relating to trust listed by the workshop participants is data governance. The members indicated that the existing standards are unclear and therefore need to be redefined. Standards are meant to guide AI users on the “dos and don’ts,” and when they are not well-stipulated, professionals find it hard to apply related tools in various activities. The other identified problem relating to trust was technological acceptance. The participants indicated that several safety-related risks characterize AI’s application. For instance, most passengers will not be confident riding in an autonomous vehicle because they are not assured of their safety. Moreover, since AI is a new technology that will take time to be accepted, participants also mentioned a lack of coherence regarding consumer rights. Additionally, data privacy is not assured, and ethical guidelines related to using AI applications are not well-stipulated.

The Application of Trust as a Moderator in the Thesis

Trust is the foundation of any relationship, human or non-human, and therefore it determines the success of working with something or someone. It has been used as a moderator in the research since it is applicable in testing the readiness of institutions and employees to adopt the technology into their operations. Moreover, the Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) model identifies the three elements as part of AI readiness, which is a dependent variable in this case. Artificial intelligence preparedness determines its adoption in various UAE industries. Nonetheless, trust is the independent variable, and this means that the element plays a crucial role in ensuring that prepared organizations and individuals can comfortably embrace AI. Manipulating the variable helps in developing trust-related solutions that can enhance artificial intelligence acquisition.

References

Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 (2021). Web.

Government in 2071 Guidebook (2018). World Government Summit. Web.

The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 (2021). Web.

The UAE Industrial Strategy “Operation 300bn” (n.d.). Web.

The UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (2021). Web.

UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (n.d.). Web.

UAE Vision 2021 (2021). Web.

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