Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, recognized the proliferation and importance of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as the driving force of the future digital economy.
Cultivating Digital Skills
Al Olama emphasized that as generative artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the significance of cultivating digital skills has grown, emphasizing the need to ensure the agility of talents to adapt to new technologies and keep pace with global changes.
He also pointed out that the UAE’s leadership has been at the forefront of leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution, by increasing investment in the technology and artificial intelligence sector to transform industries worldwide.
Al Olama emphasized the UAE's commitment to creating an environment conducive to accelerating the adoption of generative AI, recognizing its potential to contribute to the UAE’s ambitious goals and the positive opportunities it holds for large, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Exploring New Digital Opportunities
The minister underscored the robust digital infrastructure and adaptable legislative frameworks in the UAE, guaranteeing mutual prosperity for both the country and technological companies.
He further stated that the government must closely explore new technologies, studying their challenges and potential opportunities rather than completely ignoring them. Al Olama said that the UAE has taken significant steps in the digital field by graduating over 400 participants from the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme.
The Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme aims to train government officials and decision-makers in digital skills, ethics, digital foundations, and artificial intelligence to enhance awareness in government entities and society, ensuring the comprehensive adoption of digital technologies across various entities.
Promoting Digital Awareness
Al Olama also stressed the importance of promoting digital awareness in societies and encouraging them to start their digital journey. He also highlighted the success of the UAE in introducing artificial intelligence into educational curricula, which is teaching students programming methods, and the ethics regarding artificial intelligence.
The minister’s comments came during a global economic convention session that focused on the evolution of GenAI— and the transformation of intelligent technology into one of the fastest and most impactful innovations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution across various sectors.