United Arab Emirates
State-led AI adoption strategy; governance through charters and institutions
Regulatory posture
The UAE treats AI primarily as a national development project — an AI minister since 2017, an AI charter, a single federal AI and Data Authority since June 2026, and a Cabinet target to run half of government services on agentic AI — with governance expressed through institutions and principles rather than binding horizontal rules.
Tracked
- In force2
- Signals3
Set last reviewed 16 October 2026
Next review 13 November 2026
Tracked instruments
- UAE AI & Data AuthorityA single federal body reporting to the Cabinet, chaired by AI minister Omar Al Olama, merging the AI Office, TDRA's digital government sector and the UAE Data Office. It …Governance & ProcurementData & Privacy
- UAE AI StrategyThe UAE governs AI as a national champion project: the 2031 strategy, a 12-principle AI Charter (2024), the world's first AI ministry, and a 2025 initiative to use AI in …Governance & Procurement
Signals
UAE unveils an 'AI Control Tower' to monitor government AI agents
A new oversight layer will track accountability for agentic AI deployed across federal services. It follows the June 2026 AI and Data Authority consolidation. Its legal mandate is not yet confirmed in an official release (news-sourced).
ContextUAE reviews second phase of its government-wide agentic AI project
The Ministerial Council for AI and Development reviewed the strategy for running half of federal services and operations on agentic AI, following the May Cabinet governance framework.
ContextUAE creates a single federal AI and Data Authority
Three bodies merged into one authority reporting to the Cabinet, chaired by AI minister Omar Al Olama.
Context