The UAE has laid strong groundwork to train and develop its workforce in AI. It offers free, publicly available courses for AI for all levels of learners. It requires leading public sector employees to be trained in generative AI while more junior public sector employees receive instruction when needed. Notably, over 54 per cent of the UAE's workforce incorporates AI in their jobs in fields such as media and communications, education and training, customer service, manufacturing and operations management. An even greater number of professionals indicated their interest in receiving training in generative AI.
There is also a critical mass of the country’s existing workforce, however, that fears displacement due to the advent and popularisation of generative AI. These concerns could be alleviated by introducing foundational elements of AI training – statistics, data science, computer science, information technology development and principles of ethics and social harm – into school curricula at an earlier stage.
While AI reshapes the skills required by the workforce, it also holds the promise of teaching these same skills. The adoption of personalised AI tutors into educational systems in the country could be useful. Personalised AI tutors powered by Generative AI are a new concept, still being pilot-tested around the world. Led by pioneers in the ed tech field such as Khan Academy, a recently-released tutor ‘Khanmigo’ provides one-on-one learning by adapting content to the learner’s individual level.
A poster at the World Economic Forum WEF in Davos, Switzerland, on January 14. Bloomberg
According to a recent report published by Harvard Business Review: “Generative AI, if fed deliberately designed and structured prompts, has the potential to give every student a personalised tutoring experience on any topic. While there are still a number of issues with using AI for tutoring (like the substantial risk of AI-generated fabrications), the technology shows great promise as a scalable, accessible way of helping increase student comprehension.”
Collaborations with leading educational institutions and tech organisations are under way to design AI programmes
At the core of the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031 lies a commitment to upskill the workforce through specialised training, secondments and international study tours. The UAE is heavily investing in Stem education, with a current enrolment of 22 per cent of university students in Stem disciplines. The government's target is to enhance the skills of one-third of Stem graduates annually, cultivating a talent pool primed for driving AI innovation.
Simultaneously, collaborations with leading educational institutions and tech organisations are under way to design AI programmes, ensuring that students receive an education that matches real-world industry demands.
The UAE has already put into motion its agenda of upskilling for AI at the national level. These efforts span training for government employees, summer camps for school students across levels, certificates in AI skills for technical and vocational students enrolled at the Higher Colleges of Technology, and many degree programmes at the bachelor’s and master’s level where AI can be studied.
There are 24 degree-granting institutions providing in AI-related fields. Notably, the Mohamed bin Zayed University for AI (MBZUAI), established in 2019, offers graduate programmes and generous financial incentives to encourage the brightest minds to come and further the country’s AI agenda. Recently, the second batch of master’s degree holders graduated from MBZUAI. And New York University in Abu Dhabi is planning the launch of a graduate programme in Data Science after a successful experimental phase running the Data Science and AI Lab.
In addition to AI education at the degree level, there are plenty of other options for upskilling. The Higher Colleges of Technology, the Dubai Future Foundation through its Dubai Future Academy and the UAE AI Summer Camp 5.0and 42 Abu Dhabi in partnership with Ecole 42 Paris, a free global coding institution, are already educating diverse audiences such as school students as young as 10, college students, freelancers, entrepreneurs and the general public.
The National Programme for Artificial Intelligence in the UAE and the University of Oxford, while meant primarily for government officials, is also open to private sector employees and interested UAE residents, with a stated aim to build capacity towards the achievement of the 2071 centennial goals. Initiatives such as all of these demonstrate the intent and seriousness of the UAE government to upskill its population in AI and modern technology development.
All these initiatives are already yielding results. The Cisco AI Readiness Index released in November claims that 73 per cent of UAE business and IT leaders believe that their organisations have AI strategies that are well developed. However, 93 per cent admitted that their data exists in silos across the organisation. This statistic may stem from the fact that no formal AI literacy training has existed in the UAE – or elsewhere – until very recently. For the Emirates, the challenge remains to reorient the national curriculum for the future, providing skills to all citizens and residents.
Unesco provides detailed guidelines for how to integrate AI into curricula across K-12 levels, and lists the existence of the UAE Technology Subject Framework. With this, the country declares its intent to embed AI learning across the elementary, middle and high school levels. Yet, more details about this framework are not easily available to the general public.
Embedding AI-related subjects, including computer science, data literacy and ethics early into school curricula and employing AI to accelerate learning will require streamlining national human and economic development strategies, educational and business policy and effective co-ordination and implementation. Following a series of successes, this appears to be the UAE’s next challenge, and one that it is well up the task of meeting.
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
