In a first, AI to reboot UAE's skyscraping tech ambitions

DUBAI, THE GLEAMING metropolis on the edge of the Arabian desert known for its shiny high-rises, fast life and limitless ambitions, epitomises the UAE's towering tech-fuelled aspirations in more ways than one.

- ANIL SASI

It is no secret that the Emiratis want to lead the world in artificial intelligence (AI), as they seek to pivot their economy away from fossil fuels. And as part of its intensifying technological ambitions, the Emirates have heralded plans to become the first nation in the world to deploy AI to help write new laws and amend existing ones — a move expected to accelerate its law-making process by up to 70%, but one that has also raised some concerns among technologists.

This novel "AI-driven regulation" system, to be overseen by the newly-created Regulatory Intelligence Office, a unit tasked with managing the AI's integration into its lawmaking process that will change how laws are created, making the process faster and more precise, according to Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE's Vice President, Prime Minister, and the ruler of Dubai.