Navigating Dubai has become more advanced and convenient with the unveiling of “Dubai AI.” The digital city concierge is powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It allows residents and visitors to access information and services spanning health, entertainment, business, and education.
Matar Al Hemeiri, chief executive of Digital Dubai Government Establishment, launched it at the ongoing Dubai Assembly for Generative AI. The event is supported by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Additionally, the Dubai leader also serves as the chairman of the Executive Council and Dubai Future Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
This is part of the city’s broader efforts to advance digitalization. According to Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33, the government aspires for digital transformation projects to contribute $227 billion to the city’s economy annually.
A pivotal innovation
For Dr. Moza Suwaidan, the release of Dubai AI city concierge marks the start of how AI will “drastically change” the way the government offers services. She is the chief executive of the Digital Applications and Platforms Sector of Digital Dubai Government Establishment, Digital Dubai.
She further added, “Our role in the future will be more focused on enablement and regulations as opposed to operating different services and systems.”
Dr. Suwaidan also emphasized privacy and security concerns. She noted that technology producers, governments, and consumers are collectively responsible for tackling such challenges. She was speaking at a panel discussion titled “GenAI and Existential Questions for Government.”
At the same panel, Christian Gleich, global head of Emerging Tech Governance Strategy at the European Blockchain Association, highlighted how addressing emerging technologies demands concerted efforts.
“The UAE is an example of how emerging tech topics, such as tokenization, blockchain, and AI, are effectively addressed with expertise. Currently, we are working on regulating these topics separately, but it’s essential to recognize that they are converging and evolving together.”
Read: Meta rolls out new generative AI features in UAE and Saudi
Addressing cybersecurity
As more technological innovations like Dubai AI arise, the concern for cybersecurity also grows.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the cost linked to every cybercrime incident is about $2.6 million. This is according to a recent study by cybersecurity company Norton LifeLock. Meanwhile, 2020 data from IMB revealed that in the Middle East, government agencies are the most vulnerable. They make up 22 percent of the total number of cybercriminal attacks on organizations in the region.
During a keynote, Younus Al Nasser urged the use of synthetic data as a privacy solution for AI applications. He is the chief executive of Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.
Furthermore, Al Nasser explained that mimicking real data — and not disclosing individual identities — helps protect privacy without compromising data quality.
“In an ever-evolving landscape of innovative technologies, we must find innovative ways to fuel the data requirements for transformative technologies like generative AI. Synthetic data plays a pivotal role in fulfilling these demands,” he concluded.
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