His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended part of the ‘Artificial Intelligence Retreat’ held on Day 0 of the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2024 in Abu Dhabi.

Setting the tone for deliberations during the retreat, His Highness stated, “The UAE has firmly established its leadership among the world’s most future-focused nations, securing a prominent position at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence advancements that will transform all sectors. We are committed to not only maintaining but reinforcing this leadership by building our capacities. This can be realised by strengthening infrastructure, data preparedness, and legislative frameworks, while intensifying the training and development of our national workforce, the backbone of our country’s future.

“The UAE’s foresight and strategic planning have led to extraordinary achievements in this rapidly evolving field. We are positioned as one of the best prepared nations to seize opportunities within the sector, leveraging these advancements to elevate quality of life and accelerate economic growth and all-round development. As we have the resources and a globally competitive talent pool, our ambitions are boundless in spearheading future trends and pioneering this sector,” His Highness added.

Sheikh Mohammed commended the efforts of national entities that have contributed to the success of the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy and praised the retreat for bringing together diverse entities under one umbrella to share insights and align frameworks and plans, aiming to amplify impact and achievements in this critical domain.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE; and Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister And Minister of Interior, attended the retreat.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; and His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, were also in attendance.
Chaired by Sheikh Mohammed, the meetings brought together over 500 officials from federal and local government entities, the private sector, and community institutions.