Dubai's Digital Government Chief Highlights Speed Over Spending in AI Efficiency
In April 2025, Dubai released its State of AI Report, unveiling over 100 high-impact AI use cases. This demonstrated the emirate's strategic focus on speed rather than sheer expenditure to lead in AI-powered governance.
Dubai’s Unique AI Strategy
Matar Al Hemeiri, Chief Executive of Digital Dubai Government Establishment, shared insights into how Dubai's AI approach contrasts with regional and Asian tech competitors. The emirate emphasizes rapid deployment combined with stringent ethical frameworks as a core advantage.
“Abu Dhabi’s investment is focused on building an end-to-end AI-powered government infrastructure,” Al Hemeiri explained. “Dubai’s model is to embed AI ethics, interoperability, and explainability into a scalable governance framework.”
Contrasting Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s Approaches
- Abu Dhabi plans a $4.8 billion investment aiming for the first fully AI-powered government by 2027.
- Dubai prioritizes embedding AI ethics and interoperability alongside rapid deployment within a scalable governance framework.
Visible Outcomes
DubaiAI, the citywide AI virtual assistant, currently supports access to over 180 public services, making it one of the largest government AI chatbot implementations worldwide.
“DubaiAI provides information on more than 180 public services—a figure that represents one of the most comprehensive government AI chatbot deployments globally.”
Author's Summary
Dubai prioritizes speed and ethical AI integration over spending, creating an efficient and scalable governance model that sets a new standard in AI-driven public service.