Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant promise or a technological upgrade. It is rapidly becoming a decisive force in shaping the way economies grow, societies function and nations are governed. For governments, this moment requires more than hiring. A redesign will be required.
The real question today is not whether AI will transform government, but whether governments are ready to transform themselves.
This is the central finding of the Arab Public Management Report 2025-2026, developed in collaboration with the Arab League’s Arab Public Administration and Development Organization and presented at next week’s World Government Summit. Ambitions are growing across the Arab world. AI strategies are expanding. Investment is accelerating. But the report is clear. Layering advanced technology on top of 20th century bureaucracies and legacy systems will only yield limited results. In some cases, new complications may arise. Real impact will only emerge when governments rethink the way they make decisions, design services and structure institutions.
In the UAE, we learned this lesson early. Our approach was not to treat AI as a digital add-on or a tool to automate existing processes. We see this as a new operating system for government, from digital government to intelligent government.
There is a fundamental difference between a government that uses AI and a government that is designed for AI. The first is to digitize what already exists. Second, rethink what should exist.
In practice, this means moving from reactive to proactive government, from standardized to personalized services, and from siled organizations to integrated systems built around life events rather than administrative boundaries. It also means shifting the government’s role from handling requests to preventing problems before they occur.
One clear example is Abu Dhabi’s Tamm platform, which has evolved beyond a digital portal to a self-managed government model. With AI at its core, services are increasingly delivered automatically without the need for citizens to apply, submit documents, or navigate agencies. This is a redesign of the relationship between nations and peoples.
A similar philosophy underpins the use of AI in UAE law. Last year, Cabinet approved the use of AI to support the drafting and review of legislation through the specialist Regulatory Information Office. The goal is not to replace human judgment, but to speed up the legislative cycle, improve quality, and simulate the social and economic impact of laws before they are enacted. In a world where technology evolves faster than regulation, governments must learn how to legislate quickly.
In this context, it is important to address one of the most persistent myths about AI: the myth that suggests it will replace humans. The opposite is true in government. The more intelligent systems become, the more important human judgment, ethics, and accountability become.
Government is ultimately built on relationships of trust. Any use of AI that undermines transparency, fairness, and accountability will fail, regardless of its technical sophistication. As such, the UAE has consistently emphasized a human-involved model, clear accountability, and responsible AI governance.
Any use of AI that undermines transparency, fairness, and accountability will fail.
We have invested heavily not only in our platform, but also in our people. Programs like the National AI Skills Initiative, the training of “Chief AI Officers” in government, and the Jahiz Learning Platform to train federal employees with future-ready skills, reflect a core belief that “technology amplifies capability, but only when agencies invest in learning, leadership, and culture.” Skills are no longer support functions. These are strategic assets.
As AI becomes more powerful, governance becomes more important, not less. Algorithms used for public decision-making must be explainable. Responsibilities must be clearly assigned. The public must know when and how AI will be used.
This is why the UAE is prioritizing AI governance frameworks alongside innovation, including certification systems such as the Dubai AI Seal and sector-specific ethical guidelines. Trust must be built before change, not just as a byproduct of it.
The Arab Public Management Report highlights this point across the region. The governments that moved fastest were not those that launched the most pilots, but those that invested in data governance, interoperability, cybersecurity, and institutional readiness.
The Arab world is at a unique crossroads. A young population, ambitious development plans and growing digital capabilities are creating the conditions for a breakthrough. AI offers an opportunity not only to improve government efficiency but also to redefine governance itself.
However, this will only happen if AI is treated as a policy choice rather than a technology project. This requires redesigning institutions, rethinking the social contract of public services and aligning technology, talent and trust around clear objectives.
Governments that succeed in the age of AI will not be those with cutting-edge algorithms. They will be the ones who have the courage to redesign the way they work.
In the future, governments that can redesign themselves will be rewarded, not those that are the first to adopt the tools.
