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The National
19 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Age of AI: How technology is set to transform government and business in UAE and the world
The power of artificial intelligence is extraordinary. It can, among much else, help to diagnose diseases, make investments and create pictures, songs, novels and university essays. It is no wonder then that the UAE authorities are keen to harness its potential through a wide-scale roll-out. As reported last week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said that from January, the National Artificial Intelligence System will be an advisory member of the UAE Cabinet, the Ministerial Development Council and the boards of government firms and federal bodies. It is the latest move to promote AI. In 2017, the UAE became the first country in the world to have a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and it also has a national AI strategy and an AI university. New AI era Ashley Braganza, professor of organisational transformation at London's Brunel University, says governments globally 'are on the threshold' when it comes to adopting AI. 'Governments in many countries are talking about the use of AI to provide services for citizens,' he says. 'If we were to have this conversation as early as a year to 18 months from now, we'd be talking about AI in a wide range of the delivery of public sector services in different parts of the world.' Prof Braganza, who hosts The AI Adoption Podcast, says the technology will change how public sector employees interact, and how citizens engage with public services. It will, he says, 'be transformative'. 'If you are a civil servant, you can say: 'In this situation, with this kind of citizen that I'm dealing with, what should be the course of action, or what are the forms that need to be completed, or what information do we need to get from this individual?'' he says. 'It brings all this together and that, I think, is where the transformation is going to be seen. It will change working practices within the public sector.' Widespread adoption of AI by governments worldwide in the future should come as no surprise as it is 'very much a general-purpose technology', says Prof Mark Daley, the chief AI officer at Western University in Canada. 'It is a technology that allows some degree of cognitive offloading,' he says. 'Tasks that needed direct human supervision can, more and more as the models get better, be offloading to a machine assistant. 'It still has to be verified by a human, but it increases the capacity of each individual human to carry out work. The exact nature of that is totally dependent on the job function and the preferences of those individual humans.' It can make people 'significantly more productive and happier', he says, by carrying out 'intellectual drudgery', such as going through 500 emails to find any mention of a particular topic. Complementing not replacing For now, Prof Daley says, AI can carry out what might be seen as more mundane intellectual tasks, such as answering routine emails, but is not ready to completely replace many job functions. 'We're not quite there yet,' he says. 'The technology is remarkable and when it works it's fantastic, but it's still very brittle and there's still a lot of failure modes that require human oversight.' Using a word he coined, Prof Braganza sees AI as being likely to cause the 'gigification' of work, taking out the less demanding tasks within any particular job and leaving people to undertake the most difficult functions. 'What you end up with is people being employed for that last 20 to 30 per cent [of a job], where people are able to look at that very complicated issue and be able to deal with that,' he says. 'You will see over time a paring down of working roles, as opposed to AI coming in and the entire organisation's workforce collapsing.' The technology is advancing rapidly and Prof Daley says that it is not hard to imagine a future where agentic AI – a form of the technology where AI 'agents' carry out functions independently – does eventually completely take over many human roles. AI is not just a technology for governments in high-income nations: it allows advances in developing countries too. A parallel can be drawn, Prof Daley says, with the way that African nations rapidly increased mobile phone penetration, 'leapfrogging' the widespread dependence on landlines. 'We're probably going to see the same thing play out here,' he says. 'Nimble, fast-moving developing countries are going to say, 'Let's just integrate AI into our processes as we are evolving them.'' Safeguards in place With AI – as with people – there are concerns about bias, and it may not even be obvious that such biases are lurking within algorithms, Prof Braganza says. 'If you're talking about AI being used by police, health, social security, childcare – in those situations, some of those decisions can have very deep, very wide effects if they go wrong,' he says. Prof Braganza notes that a human caseworker or call centre employee may deal with, say, a few dozen customers in a day – but over the same time period, an AI model may adjudicate in thousands of cases. 'Somebody applying for a loan, for example, if that algorithm is biased, then 10,000 applications in the last one hour may well have been affected,' he says. Yet Prof Daley says that as the technology becomes more sophisticated, bias can be removed. 'With the frontier AI we have right now, with the reasoning models … you can actually explain in English what criteria you're looking for, what biases it should watch for, and you can construct a system that is essentially less biased than any human would be,' he said. 'You can require it to explicitly state how it is making decisions against all these possible sources of bias,' he says. 'There's a possibility to use these models in a way that actually increases procedural fairness, but you have to be really mindful about how you're using them.' For all the concerns relating to AI in government or business, the technology's adoption is going to continue. Its use is likely to become existential for companies. 'If a productivity enhancer is invented and you decline to adopt it, you as a firm or an individual will be outcompeted by those who do adopt it. There seems little question to me [that] AI is a productivity enhancer across a broad range of domains,' Prof Daley says.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid praises UAE's ‘exceptional' tourism sector
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday praised the UAE's thriving tourism sector. It followed a report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council which revealed that the UAE's travel and tourism sector saw its contribution to the country's GDP rise to Dh257.3 billion in 2024, representing 13 per cent of the national economy. This represents an increase of 3.2 per cent compared to 2023, and a 26 per cent increase compared to 2019, before the pandemic, state news agency Wam reported. 'In a new indicator of the strength and diversity of our national economy, the World Travel and Tourism Council report highlighted exceptional achievements in the UAE tourism sector, with total international visitor spending exceeding Dh217 billion during the previous year, in addition to domestic tourism spending reaching Dh57 billion,' Sheikh Mohammed wrote on X. 'The UAE is among the top 7 global destinations for international tourism spending, surpassing countries that have preceded us in this field for hundreds of years. We welcome tourists, delight in investors, embrace talents, and build the best environment for living, tourism, and visits. Welcome to the world.' A global leader Regarding international tourism, the report showed that the UAE is one of the most prominent destinations in the world, as the country received international visitors from major markets, most notably India (14 per cent), the UK (8 per cent), Russia (8 per cent), China (5 per cent), Saudi Arabia (5 per cent), and 60 per cent from the rest of the world. The report indicated that international visitor spending in the UAE reached approximately Dh217.3 billion in 2024, registering a growth of 5.8 per cent compared to 2023 and a 30.4 per cent increase compared to 2019. Domestic tourism spending, meanwhile, reached Dh57.6 billion, achieving a 2.4 per cent increase compared to 2023 and a 41 per cent increase compared to 2019.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Mohammed bin Rashid: UAE among top 7 global destinations for international tourist spending
A recent report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed that the UAE's travel and tourism sector delivered an exceptional performance in 2024. The sector contributed AED257.3 billion (US$70.1 billion) to the national GDP, accounting for 13% of the economy. This marks a 3.2% increase from 2023 and a remarkable 26% growth compared to 2019, one of the highest growth rates globally and regionally in terms of tourism's contribution to economic development. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, praised the sector's achievements, stating, 'In a new indicator of the strength and diversity of our national economy, the WTTC report highlights the exceptional achievements of the UAE tourism sector. International visitor spending exceeded AED217 billion last year, with domestic tourism expenditure reaching AED57 billion. The UAE ranks among the world's top seven destinations for international tourist spending, surpassing countries that have been in this industry for centuries.' He added, 'We welcome tourists, delight in attracting investors, embrace talent, and build the best environment for living, tourism, and visitation. Welcome to the world.' Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, emphasised that the UAE has placed tourism at the heart of its strategy to drive economic diversification and sustainable growth. He credited the nation's success to proactive initiatives and strategic tourism plans that have positioned the UAE as a unique and attractive global destination. These efforts include strengthening infrastructure across the seven emirates, enhancing the appeal of tourism-related investments, and showcasing the country's rich cultural and experiential diversity. Significant improvements in airport and travel infrastructure have also contributed to the country's elevated standing in global travel and tourism. Al Marri also noted, 'Just days ago, the UAE achieved a historic milestone in the tourism sector with the election of Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Today's WTTC results reaffirm the wisdom of our leadership's vision in enhancing the competitiveness of our tourism sector, creating employment opportunities for Emiratis, and further cementing our position as a global tourism powerhouse.' 'These achievements underscore that the UAE tourism sector is confidently progressing toward the goals set out in the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031. The strategy aims to increase the sector's contribution to the national GDP to AED450 billion and raise the number of hotel guests to 40 million annually by the next decade.' He noted that national efforts are ongoing to develop a fully integrated tourism ecosystem, guided by international best practices. These efforts include strengthening engagement with key regional and international tourism markets, expanding the range of tourism offerings, and enhancing service quality to provide comprehensive and enriching experiences for visitors from around the world. 'These initiatives are in line with the UAE vision We the UAE 2031, and they aim to elevate the country's status as one of the world's leading tourism destinations in the coming decade,' he concluded. Regarding international tourism, the WTTC report highlighted that the UAE continues to assert its position as one of the world's leading travel destinations. In 2024, the country welcomed international visitors from a diverse range of key markets, including India: 14%, United Kingdom: 8%, Russia: 8%, China: 5%, Saudi Arabia: 5%, and rest of the world: 60%. This broad geographical distribution reflects the UAE's growing global appeal and the effectiveness of its flexible and inclusive tourism policies in attracting a wide array of visitors. The report further revealed that international visitor spending in the UAE reached AED217.3 billion (US$59.2 billion) in 2024, marking a 5.8% increase from 2023 and a 30.4% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending also witnessed strong growth, reaching AED57.6 billion (US$15.7 billion) in 2024, an increase of 2.4% over 2023 and a remarkable 41% rise compared to 2019. These figures underscore both the resilience and upward momentum of the UAE's tourism sector across international and domestic fronts, further solidifying its position as a premier global destination. The WTTC report projects that international visitor spending in the UAE will rise by 5.2% in 2025, reaching approximately AED228.5 billion. Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending is expected to grow by 4.3%, hitting AED60 billion by the end of the year. The report also highlighted that leisure tourism accounted for 84.7% of total tourism expenditure in the UAE in 2024, while business tourism represented 15.3%. This demonstrates the sector's adaptability and its ability to balance both recreational and commercial tourism demands. Moreover, the breakdown of spending showed that 79% of total tourism expenditure came from international visitors, while 21% was attributed to domestic tourists. The report further emphasised that despite the UAE's rapid tourism sector growth, the country has remained firmly committed to environmental standards and sustainability goals. In 2023, carbon emissions linked to tourism activities accounted for only 13.3% of the nation's total emissions, reflecting the UAE's strategic focus on integrating sustainability across its tourism landscape. This performance aligns with the UAE's broader vision to promote sustainable practices across all sectors — ensuring that tourism growth goes hand-in-hand with environmental responsibility and long-term ecological balance. On the social front, the report highlighted that women accounted for 16.3% of the direct workforce in the UAE's travel and tourism sector in 2023. Additionally, youth aged 15–24 years made up 9.7% of the total employment in the sector, reflecting its growing role in empowering both women and younger generations within the national labour market. From a fiscal perspective, the tourism and travel sector generated US$8.6 billion in tax revenues in 2023, representing 5.4% of total government revenues. This underscores the sector's increasing financial significance and its vital contribution to the country's public treasury. On the global level, the report stated that the travel and tourism sector contributed US$10.9 trillion to the global GDP in 2024, representing 10% of the world economy. This reflects an 8.5% increase compared to 2023 and a 6% rise compared 2019. Looking ahead, the sector's contribution is projected to reach US$11.7 trillion in 2025, which would mark a 6.7% increase over 2024 and a 13% growth over 2019, underscoring the sustained recovery and expansion of global tourism. The report also highlighted the sector's robust role in job creation, with 356.6 million jobs generated worldwide in 2024, accounting for 10.6% of total global employment. This represents a 6.2% increase from 2023 and a 5.6% increase from 2019.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Ruler sponsors life-saving cancer treatment for 15-year-old girl
When 15-year-old Fatima Ahmed Hassan was diagnosed with sarcoma cancer, she and her family were overwhelmed, until hope came from the highest level. "Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum sponsored my entire treatment,' Fatima said, her voice filled with emotion. 'That changed everything. His kindness gave me back my hope, my health, and my dreams.' Fatima's journey of survival was one of the many powerful stories shared during an event held by the Emirates Oncology Society at Dubai's Museum of the Future to honour 100 cancer survivors from 25 hospitals across the UAE recently. The ceremony was part of National Cancer Survivors Month, celebrating lives saved through early detection, expert care, and emotional support. After months of intensive treatment, Fatima is now cancer-free. Her experience has inspired her to pursue a career as a nurse. 'I want to help others the way nurses helped me,' she said. 'Only someone who's felt the same pain truly understands.' 11-year-old warrior aiming to become a footballer For Hamdan Saeed Al Falasi, an 11-year-old leukemia survivor, it all started with bone pain. 'We thought it was from playing sports,' said his mother. 'But when it didn't go away, we knew something was wrong.' A series of tests confirmed leukemia. 'Thanks to early diagnosis and incredible doctors, my son is now healthy and thriving,' she said. 'Parents must never ignore unusual symptoms, early diagnosis saved my son's life.' Hamdan is now back to doing what he loves most, playing football. 'I'm so happy to be healthy again and back to playing. I want to become a doctor in the future to help others like my doctors helped me,' he said. Doctor becomes the patient Dr Hind Salama, a dentist and mother of two from Gaza, Palestine, had no symptoms at all when a routine check-up in 2023 detected breast cancer. 'When doctors asked if I wanted to go home for treatment, I told them, 'This is my home. I want to be treated here,' she said. 'The UAE gave me everything, without distinction.' Chemotherapy was the most difficult part, but support from her family and medical team got her through. She now urges others, especially women, to undergo regular screenings. Fighting rare cancers Mustafa Osama, 23, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, two years ago. 'It was emotionally overwhelming,' he said. 'But from the moment I entered the UAE's healthcare system, I knew I was in safe hands.' 'Even though my cancer was rare, I found specialists who treated me with compassion and expertise. I haven't seen this level of professionalism anywhere else.' The event highlighted the UAE's inclusive approach to healthcare. Survivors praised the country for offering equal access to cutting-edge treatments and compassionate care, regardless of nationality or background. 'The UAE doesn't treat you like a case file,' said one survivor. 'It treats you as a human being, with dignity and empathy.' Vision for the future Prof Humaid Al Shamsi, president of the Emirates Oncology Society, said the event was a celebration of resilience and a reflection of the UAE's ongoing commitment to world-class cancer care. 'This is not just about honouring survivors,' he said. 'It's about reaffirming our dedication to research, innovation, and early detection, so more families can hear the words - 'You are cancer-free,'' said Prof. Al Shamsi.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
President Sheikh Mohamed calls for lasting peace in message to mark Islamic New Year
President Sheikh Mohamed on Thursday spoke of his hope for "lasting peace and stability" in the region in a message marking the start of the Islamic New Year. The UAE leader struck an optimistic tone as he sent his congratulations on social media to the people of the Emirates and Muslims across the globe. The Islamic, or Hijri New Year, began on Thursday after the crescent Moon heralding the start of the first Islamic month of Muharram was sighted in Saudi Arabia. The occasion is typically a time for quiet reflection rather than large-scale celebrations. In contrast to Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, no religious observances are typically held. "Congratulations to the people of the UAE and Muslims everywhere on the occasion of Hijri New Year," Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X. "I pray that the year ahead brings lasting peace and stability to the region and the world, and advances progress and prosperity for all." Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said he hoped the start of the new year would bring "peace, stability and prosperity" in a message on X. Public and private sector workers across the UAE will be granted a public holiday on Friday for the new Islamic New Year. Sheikh Mohamed looked to the year ahead the day after he held talks with Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, in Doha. The two leaders discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, as well as joint efforts to strengthen relations, before talks focused on the Israel-Iran ceasefire, state news agency Wam reported. They stressed the importance of strengthening dialogue and diplomatic solutions as the only way to overcome regional crises and maintain regional and global security.
