The United Arab Emirates is accelerating its integration of artificial intelligence into government governance. On Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced that, under the directive of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the nation will transition 50% of government sectors, services, and operations to run on Agentic AI within the next two years.
Two-Year Transformation: AI as the 'Executive Partner'
In a social media post, Al Maktoum emphasized: “AI is no longer a tool. It analyses, decides, executes, and improves in real time. It will become our executive partner to enhance services, accelerate decisions, and raise efficiency.” The massive transformation will be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, with the goal of replacing the current government model with a faster, more responsive, and more impactful one.
Performance of the new AI systems will be evaluated by measuring speed of adoption, quality of implementation, and mastery of AI in redesigning government work. Meanwhile, all federal employees will undergo training to “master AI,” building the capabilities needed for an AI-driven government.
Al Maktoum concluded: “The world is changing. Technology is accelerating. Our principle remains constant. People come first.”
Background: UAE’s Pioneering AI Legislation
This is not the UAE’s first foray into embedding AI in governance. In April 2025, Al Maktoum launched the Emirates’ first AI-based legislative system, which uses AI agents to draft laws, monitor their effects through data analysis, and propose legislative amendments based on observations. That initiative was hailed as a global milestone in government innovation.
The current two-year plan extends AI from the legislative domain to the entirety of government operations. If successfully implemented, the UAE could become the first country in the world to deploy large-scale autonomous AI for public services.
It is important to note that Agentic AI differs from traditional automation—it can independently set goals, plan execution pathways, and adjust in real time without human instruction. This could bring a qualitative leap in the speed and personalization of government services.
Challenges and Outlook
Despite the promising vision, large-scale AI adoption in government faces multiple hurdles: data privacy, algorithmic bias, job displacement, and the traceability of AI decisions all require robust regulatory frameworks. So far, the UAE has not disclosed a detailed implementation roadmap or transparency standards for the AI systems.
Nevertheless, the government's reform determination has drawn global attention. The UAE has long viewed AI as a core driver of economic diversification and competitiveness. It established the world's first Minister of Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and released the AI Ethics Guide in 2022. The new two-year deadline represents a final acceleration of its AI strategy.
As the 2026 deadline approaches, the international community will closely watch how the UAE balances innovation with risk. If the plan is realized on schedule, the UAE may provide a replicable “AI model” for government governance worldwide.