In a defining moment at Gitex Global 2025, Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy, declared that artificial intelligence (AI) should be treated with the same priority as defence and cybersecurity. “AI is a state of sovereignty. Like you spend budgets on defence, on cyber, you have to spend budget on AI. AI is a sovereignty for every single nation,” he said, highlighting a major policy shift that places AI at the centre of national strategy.
The UAE’s approach underscores its determination to embed AI across governance, public services, and the wider economy. With non-oil sectors now accounting for 77.3% of the nation’s GDP—up from 69% five years ago—the country’s transformation is being powered by finance, manufacturing, and technology, where AI plays a pivotal role. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects a 4.5% rise in non-oil GDP this year, driven by trade, logistics, and digital innovation.
Al Marri credited this progress to strong digital infrastructure and AI-led efficiency. The Ministry of Economy’s AI-powered trademark registration system, for instance, has cut processing time from days to seconds, showcasing how advanced technology can enhance public service delivery.
He also emphasised that people are central to this transformation. Calling talent the “oil of the economy,” Al Marri highlighted long-term visa schemes and the establishment of the Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence as key steps in developing home-grown expertise. According to the 2024 Global AI Talent Report, the UAE now ranks among the top five markets worldwide for AI professionals.
Sustainability remains another core focus. The UAE is aligning its AI ambitions with clean-energy goals, ensuring that data centres and computing infrastructure are powered by renewable and nuclear energy. Partnerships with global firms such as Oracle, Siemens, Huawei, and Abu Dhabi-based G42 aim to scale AI operations efficiently while maintaining environmental responsibility.
While acknowledging that AI will inevitably reshape the UAE job market, Al Marri compared the shift to previous industrial revolutions that created new opportunities. “What we used to do in the past might take many days; we might do it now in five minutes. Humans by nature will never stop,” he said.
For the UAE, the challenge ahead lies in internal readiness—building systems, skills, and infrastructure to sustain AI adoption at scale. As Al Marri noted, it is a national race to ensure the country remains a global leader in artificial intelligence.
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