How government can continue serving Abu Dhabi's growing, savvy population effectively

The National

15 hours ago

Your smartphone knows when you're running low on storage and offers help. Your car reminds you about scheduled maintenance. Your banking app notices unusual spending patterns and alerts you immediately. So why do governments still expect you to remember when your driving licence expires?
This simple question reflects a deeper truth − that public service must evolve further to meet modern expectations. And that's exactly why the Abu Dhabi government is fundamentally rethinking how we serve our people.
According to recent data released by the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, our population grew by 7.5 per cent, hitting 4.1 million last year − among the highest growth rates of any major financial centre globally. We also serve one of the world's most digitally sophisticated populations, with 80 per cent in the working-age bracket and a median age of 33.
In Abu Dhabi, advanced technologies are central to any resident's day-to-day experience. When they order food, the app remembers their preferences. When they travel, their calendar automatically suggests departure times based on traffic. When they shop, recommendations appear based on past behaviour.
Every interaction, no matter how small or simple, has primed them to expect services that understand context, anticipate needs and respect their time. And then they encounter a public service that still asks them to start from scratch − only now, the paper trail is digital.
Too often, governments respond to rising expectations by simply moving old processes online. Fill out this form digitally instead of on paper. Check your application status on a website instead of calling. Download a document instead of collecting it in person. But digitisation isn't transformation.
Real transformation asks a different question: what does this person actually need right now, and how can we provide it with minimal effort on their part?
Today, even in a digitally advanced environment, people are still expected to navigate government on its terms − through separate processes, disconnected platforms and complex requirements.
When someone moves to a new country, they face different systems for housing registration, school enrolment, healthcare access and utility connections − each with its own forms, timelines and rules. What they really need is to settle in smoothly. And the system should recognise this and co-ordinate accordingly.
When an entrepreneur wants to start a business, it's not just about speeding up licence approvals but replacing fragmented steps with guided, end-to-end support − so that they can focus on building their venture, not deciphering bureaucracy.
Across the Abu Dhabi government, our cross-departmental collaboration to bring Tamm to life has enabled us to prove that government can work this way.
This vision would not have been possible without the forward thinking of our nation's leaders, who first conceptualised Tamm as a people-first transformation, one where services anticipate life's milestones and respond to real human needs. Their ambition was clear: to build a government that not only functions efficiently but helps people thrive.
With it, we're showing what happens when government is built around life journeys and real needs, not institutional structures. Instead of requiring people to learn which of the 40-plus government entities handles which task, Tamm's AI assistant understands the context and navigates the system for them. It connects the dots across departments, so people don't have to.
Today, more than 400,000 residents have engaged with Tamm's AI assistant, which now resolves 95 per cent of routine inquiries instantly. While efficiency metrics reveal a great deal, what truly matters is whether people feel genuinely supported instead of merely processed.
Recognition at the World Summit on the Information Society Prizes reinforces this shift: Tamm was awarded first place globally in e-Government, a reflection of our commitment to human-centric digital transformation. But the real outcome is more powerful: Abu Dhabi is proving that government can be responsive, intuitive and human − and others are starting to follow.
What makes this transformation possible is when data is used intelligently, not just collected extensively.
A pivotal enabler of future AI capabilities is Stargate UAE − a landmark collaboration between Abu Dhabi, OpenAI, Nvidia and other tech leaders − that brings cutting-edge AI infrastructure directly to the emirate. Designed to support the use of frontier AI safely and at scale, Stargate gives us a strategic advantage: the ability to harness next-generation AI models in real time, on sovereign infrastructure, with world-class performance. This is a foundational leap forward that will empower us to build smarter, more responsive public services, tailored to the specific needs of our society.
We can see demographic shifts in real-time through our census platform and plan infrastructure before bottlenecks occur. We can identify service gaps before complaints arise. We can spot emerging needs in specific communities and respond proactively.
While some might be quick to argue that this is all about control, it really isn't. Think about it. It's the same way your navigation app uses traffic data to suggest better routes. Here, government can use population data to provide better services in line with community needs.
What I find interesting is that many observers are still surprised that implementing AI hasn't reduced the importance of human judgment, it has only amplified it.
When our systems handle routine transactions automatically, our civil servants can focus on complex cases that require empathy, cultural understanding and creative problem-solving. When AI processes standard applications, people have the freedom to focus on what they do best: understand nuance, exercise judgment and serve the public interest with wisdom that no algorithm can replicate.
When the government works properly, everyone benefits in ways that extend far beyond convenience.
Entrepreneurs launch businesses faster, hire sooner. Families spend more time together instead of dealing with administrative tasks. Students don't miss opportunities because of confusing processes. New residents feel welcomed rather than overwhelmed.
Good governments don't just serve people better − they help them thrive.
Despite recent progress, significant challenges remain. Balancing innovation with equity, ensuring data privacy while enabling personalisation, maintaining human connection in an increasingly digital world − these require constant attention.
When we think about the future of government, it's worth reflecting on the role it plays in one's daily life today: is it genuinely helpful? Can it help a working parent handle necessary tasks without needing to take time off? Does it take the time to ensure that elderly residents feel supported rather than intimidated and confused by new systems?
Transformation doesn't happen overnight. Every improvement reveals new possibilities, and every success raises expectations further. This is simply the reality of serving a dynamic, fast-growing, digitally native population.