The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has announced a bold and unprecedented plan to become the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027, fundamentally transforming public service delivery and governance.
The ambitious goal, supported by the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, moves beyond simple digitization to embed Artificial Intelligence into the core DNA of all government operations. The total investment for the strategy is reported to be AED 13 billion ($3.5 billion).
The transformation is not just about automating old processes; it’s about creating an “AI-native” system that is proactive, personalized, and continuously learning. Key aspects of the initiative include:
- 100% Digitization and Automation: All government processes will be fully digitized and automated by 2027.
- Proactive Services: The goal is to shift from citizens requesting services to the government delivering them automatically. For example, AI systems like the newly unveiled “TAMM AutoGov”—billed as the world’s first transactional AI public servant—can reportedly manage routine tasks like license renewals or scheduled payments with user consent, acting before a deadline is missed.
- Massive AI Deployment: The plan involves deploying more than 200 AI systems across public services, including traffic optimization, health diagnostics, and predictive economic planning.
- Sovereign Cloud: The entire system will rely on 100% sovereign cloud infrastructure, ensuring that all sensitive public data and AI models remain secure and subject to national law within Abu Dhabi’s borders.
The initiative is backed by major collaborations with global tech giants like Oracle and NVIDIA for high-performance computing, as well as local powerhouses like G42 and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).
- Economic Contribution: The digital transformation is projected to contribute over AED 24 billion ($6.5 billion) to Abu Dhabi’s GDP by 2027.
- Job Creation: The strategy is expected to create more than 5,000 technology-focused jobs, supporting Emiratization efforts.
- Workforce Upskilling: The government is undertaking an unprecedented workforce transformation, with thousands of public sector employees completing comprehensive AI training to equip them with the skills to collaborate with, audit, and support the new AI systems.
By setting this ambitious deadline, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a global prototype for next-generation governance, setting a new benchmark for how governments can leverage technology to improve efficiency, transparency, and citizen-centric service delivery.
