ICYMI: The Inaugural 'Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit' Revives the Discourse on Ethical and Responsible AI Development
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Ethics in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), cross-border data governance, cybersecurity resilience, and post-quantum security were among the major topics of conversation during the inaugural Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit (GETS 2025), which was held in Abu Dhabi from May 5-6, 2025.
Launched under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the event was organized by the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) in strategic partnership with the UAE Public Prosecution.
The first-of-its-kind regional convention brought together 1,000 participants from more than 20 countries —including policymakers, legal experts, technologists, and youth leaders— with an aim to clearly define the frameworks for responsible governance of advanced technologies. Noteworthy dignitaries among the many high-level attendees at GETS 2025 included the Attorney General of Qatar, the Attorney General of Egypt, and the Deputy Attorney General of Oman.
The two-day event put a spotlight on the UAE's position as a leading force in shaping responsible, inclusive, and forward-looking technology governance.
That sentiment was perhpas most evident during a keynote speech from Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. While addressing the audience, Olama underscored the UAE's early investment in building a national AI ecosystem that prioritises flexibility, responsibility, and competitiveness. "Guided by visionary leadership, the UAE recognised early on the importance of artificial intelligence and the need to shape its future through bold action and responsible governance," he said. "We have mobilised national capabilities, enacted forward-looking regulatory frameworks, and launched pioneering initiatives to stay ahead of rapid transformations and enhance our global competitiveness. The UAE's approach is rooted in flexibility, global collaboration, and the development of technologies that empower societies and drive responsible innovation. This summit reflects our national commitment, providing a global platform to advance policy dialogue and build a balanced international framework for governing advanced technologies."
Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications at GETS 2025. Image source: GETS
Olama's emphasise on innovating responsibly had earlier been highlighted by UAE Attorney General Chancellor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, who decalred that "innovation without ethics is incomplete," during his keynote address. "And the future of emerging technologies must be guided not only by advancement, but by a higher purpose—serving humanity and society," he added.
Dr. Al Shamsi's words hold added gravitas in the added knowledge that, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos earlier this year, the UAE government and WEF jointly launched the Global Regulatory Innovation Platform (GRIP)- a platform that aims to understand, evaluate, and design human-centered legislation that serves communities in an era of rapid technological and digital advancements.
During a high-level dialogue, Faisal Al Bannai, Advisor to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology and Secretary-General of ATRC, reiterated this purpose-driven approach towards innovation by stating that, "Tech organisations must take some responsibility for the technologies they release. It cannot be that they issue it and let society deal with the consequences. This requires strong, ongoing collaboration between technology players and regulators."
Backing up this conversation was Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, who also shed light on the UAE's long-term vision for governance. "Embedding responsible technology governance into national policy is not a short-term ambition," Al Hammadi declared. "It is part of a broader commitment to shaping agile institutions, forward-looking legislation, and resilient societies capable of navigating the complexities of the digital age."
Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet at GETS 2025. Image source: GETS
Indeed, the notion that the right governance policies will eventually trickle into other entities in the UAE's wider business landscape was vividly pointed out by Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education, when she spoke about the critical role of AI in preparing future generations. During a panel discussion —which saw Al Amiri being joined by experts from fMohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Abundance Studio, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lameen Abdul-Malik— she noted that fundamental technological transformations, particularly within AI, require accelerated efforts to prepare students and empower them with the necessary tools to contribute to the advancement of society. This, she added, also requires establishing ethical frameworks related to these technologies, enabling them to maximize their benefits and applications in daily life. "Integrating AI concepts and tools into academic curriculum represents a strategic investment in building more resilient societies prepared for the demands of the future," Al Amiri said, adding that that the education system in the UAE has worked to incorporate AI into its curricula, in a bid to stay future ready while also staying committed to anticipating the global education shifts and trends.
Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, UAE Minister of Education at GETS 2025. Image source: GETS
Similar sector-specific sessions delved into the role of AI in healthcare, civil defence, education, creative industries, and manufacturing. During one such session, Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Health Regulations Sector at the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), along with representatives from NMC Healthcare and the Al Dhafra Youth Council, examined how governance frameworks must keep pace with the deployment of AI in clinical environments to ensure data protection and improved patient outcomes. In a separate session, leaders from Honeywell, BP, AIQ, and Coders Launchpad discussed the industrial transformation underway through smart manufacturing, and the safeguards needed to ensure responsible and secure deployment.
Separately, in a key session titled "From Vision to Empowerment: The Roadmap to Justice 2030", Chancellor Salem Ali Al Zaabi, Head of Public Prosecution at the Office of the UAE Attorney General, presented the UAE Public Prosecution's Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030. The strategy aims to enhance efficiency in the justice system, support decision-makers, and improve service quality—while upholding the highest ethical and legal standards.
Insights on creative sector governance were also shared at GETS 2025, as speakers from the National Library and Archives, Byteplus, and Lune Technologies addressed the risks and rights associated with generative AI and digital content ownership.
With global reccomendations being shared over the course of the two days, the Summit also witnessed calls for a global charter on human-AI interaction that integrates ethics and equity into innovation from the outset, discourse on the need to empower youth in shaping governance, and multiple talks on prioritising digital trust and cybersecurity as national imperatives. Notable sessions included those by Changpeng Zhao (CZ), co-founder of Binance and Giggle Academy, who explored how regulatory systems can evolve to meet the demands of a decentralized Web3 landscape; and Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of the Technology Innovation Institute, who highlighted the dual imperative of innovation and resilience in an era shaped by AI and quantum disruption.
GETS 2025 also brought post-quantum readiness and next-generation encryption to the forefront, with experts pushing for the pivotal need for early data audits, encryption upgrades, and alignment with post-quantum standards. The Summit also spotlighted digital inclusion and linguistic equality in AI, advocating for increased investment in local datasets, digital literacy, and AI accessibility to bridge global and language divides. Regional and global experts also explored the cyberrisks that are innate to emerging technologies and emphasized the need for coordinated action among governments, technology developers, and society to build a fairer, more secure digital future.
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