UAE honors AI innovators

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honored winners of the UAE AI Award at the UAE Government Annual Meeting on November 5, recognizing groundbreaking projects transforming public service and governance.

With AI at the forefront of the UAE’s strategy, Sheikh Mohammed emphasized, “Artificial Intelligence will radically change business and the delivery of public services, and we are determined to be at the forefront among countries adopting AI tools to accelerate government work.”

Celebrating innovation across categories

The UAE AI Award, launched in March by the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, aims to inspire federal, local, and semi-government entities to adopt advanced AI applications. The award categories included Service Excellence, Operational Efficiency, Decision-Making, and Emirati AI Solutions. The evaluation process was rigorous, focusing on innovation, ethical standards in AI use, scalability, and overall impact.

Key winners

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Recognized for its Smart Mission project, which offers AI-driven consulate services without human intervention. This groundbreaking initiative began at the UAE Embassy in South Korea and plans to expand to five additional locations within six months.
• DP World: Honored in the Operational Efficiency category for its ‘Tanbeeh’ platform, an advanced solution that enhances readiness for emergency response teams. Notable features include rapid fire detection via surveillance footage analysis and facial recognition technology for secure site access.
• Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility): Awarded in the Decision-Making category for its STEAM+ system, which processes over 70 billion data matrices to inform transportation investments and improve mobility across Abu Dhabi.
• Advanced Technology Research Council: Secured the Emirati AI Solutions award for developing the Falcon language model, a significant achievement that positions it as a competitor against major global tech players like Meta and Google.

This year’s competition attracted over 225 entries from 76 government and 44 private entities, underscoring the UAE’s dedication to building a robust, AI-driven digital ecosystem.

The UAE AI Award serves as a platform for showcasing the nation’s AI advancements, aligning with the UAE’s strategic vision to foster sustainable growth and strengthen its global competitiveness.