abu dhabi, united arab emirates, The UAE’s National Expert Program – AI Track (NEP-AI) has selected 135 finalists from over 1,000 applicants as the country accelerates efforts to build a national base of artificial intelligence expertise across priority sectors. From these finalists, a final group of 25 participants will be selected to participate in the first NEP-AI cohort.
The finalists in this first NEP-AI track represent all seven emirates, demonstrating broad national commitment to the program. Abu Dhabi (80) and Dubai (21) accounted for the majority, followed by Sharjah (14), Ras Al Khaimah (9), Ajman (6), Umm Al Quwain (3) and Fujairah (2).
The finalists are the most diverse in the program’s history, bringing together experts from government, industry, and technical fields. Gender: 52 (38%) women and 83 (62%) men.
The selection also reflects an experienced workforce, with 44% of finalists having 10+ years of experience and 35% having 5-10 years of experience, demonstrating a clear focus on professionals with the ability to deploy AI at scale.
The academic profile is equally strong, with 53% holding a master’s degree and 24% holding a PhD/doctoral degree, reflecting the growing high level of technical expertise among Emirati professionals.
The majority of finalists were selected from the public sector (98 finalists), with 37 from the private sector, in line with the UAE’s strategy to embed AI capabilities into government systems while maintaining integration between sectors.
Beyond the data, these applications reflect broader national sentiment towards positioning the UAE for leadership in an AI-driven future, with many candidates framing their participation as part of broader efforts to improve the country’s standing among the world’s leading AI nations and apply AI to real-world challenges.
Several of the finalists have proposed sector-specific, implementation-driven ideas, which are expected to form the basis of the capstone projects that will be developed from the start of the program.
The size and quality of the applicant pool underscores the growing prominence of the National Expert Program as a platform for developing high-impact national talent in advanced technology.
The first NEP-AI cohort is expected to be announced in June 2026.
