UAE Plans to Run 50% of Government on Agentic AI Within Two Years (www.mitsloanme.com)

The United Arab Emirates has announced an ambitious initiative to integrate "agentic AI" into half of its federal government operations within the next two years. This shift, outlined by Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, marks a significant move from traditional digitization towards autonomous decision-making systems in public administration. By employing AI as an “executive partner,” the UAE aims to enhance operational efficiency, with systems capable of real-time data analysis, decision-making, and workflow iteration. The program will be overseen by Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and coordinated by a dedicated task force. This initiative is particularly significant for the AI/ML community as it addresses a key barrier to public-sector AI adoption: institutional capacity. The UAE plans to retrain its federal workforce, empowering civil servants to supervise and operate AI systems rather than simply layering automation on existing bureaucracies. This proactive approach not only facilitates the effective implementation of AI but also fosters a hybrid human-machine governance model. By setting explicit performance metrics and adopting a structured timeframe, the UAE is poised to redefine public governance globally, positioning itself as a pioneer in the large-scale deployment of autonomous technologies in government operations.