Dubai appoints 22 Chief AI Officers

Chief AI Officers appointed at 22 Dubai government departments

#Dubai #AIblueprint - The Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has announced the appointment of Chief AI Officers for 22 Dubai government entities, following through on a plan announced earlier in the year. The appointment of AI heads for each government department is a key step in supporting the future of government work in the emirate and the implementation of the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI, which was announced in April.

SO WHAT? - The Government of Dubai has stepped up its efforts to drive AI adoption across government departments significantly over the past year. A number of key government departments and authorities are at an advance stage in leveraging AI for digital transformation, but until last year there was no emirate-wide programme to set goals, plan strategy, support departmental needs, or coordinate between different government entities. In June 2023, the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence was launched, followed by a number of key initiatives, including the announcement of the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence in April of this year. News of the appointments both helps keep the momentum going and underscores the fact that Dubai is intensifying efforts to harness AI.

A few key points about this announcement:

• Dubai’s Crown Prince announced the appointment of 22 Chief AI Officers in government entities via social media

• The appointment of the Chief AI Officers makes good on the plan announced earlier this year and is a clear indication that Dubai is intensifying efforts to accelerate adoption of AI and coordinate AI implementation and governance.

• According to the announcement, the following government departments now have a Chief AI Officer: Community Development Authority in Dubai, Department of Economy and Tourism, Department of Finance, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Dubai Customs, Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, Dubai Digital Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Endowments and Minors' Trust Foundation (Awqaf Dubai), General Directorate of Dubai Civil Defense, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Protocol Department in Dubai, Public Prosecution, Roads and Transport Authority, and The Judicial Council.

• Government authorities such as Dubai Digital Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and the Roads and Transport Authority, already had senior management appointed to lead innovation in AI prior to the new emirate-wide strategy.

• The Government of Dubai announced the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, to align all of the emirate's AI initiatives and investments under one strategic plan, in April

IMO - One could easily be preoccupied with questions such as; Do all these government entities need Chief AI Officers? What will they do? And how do the appointees compare, given that some of them have been appointed quite quickly. However, these appointments - new or simply reconfirmed - are another milestone in an AI roadmap that is both been implemented fast, and is clearly the subject of day-to-day follow-up, scrutiny and development. It is that relentless follow-up and implementation that sets the Dubai government - and a few of its counterparts in the region - apart from the majority of governments worldwide. Governments must now try to match the speed and acceleration of AI, or risk getting left behind. Dubai understands this and is acting accordingly.

Read more about Government of Dubai initiatives:

• Dubai announces blueprint for AI impact (Middle East AI News)

• Dubai's metaverse strategy (Middle East AI News)

• Dubai's new robotics play (Middle East AI News)

• Dubai launches new drone initiative (Middle East AI News)