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DUBAI / WAM
In line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, attended the Agentic AI Retreat.
His Highness was accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and H.H. Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
The Retreat brought together more than 400 ministers, federal government leaders, and media officials to present comprehensive executive plans for a national system focused on integrating Agentic AI models into government operations, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global leader in shaping this transformative future.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “I attended the UAE Government’s national Agentic AI Retreat in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed. More than 400 ministers and senior officials are shaping and implementing the transformation of 50% of government services and operations through Agentic AI, advancing our President’s vision for the UAE to lead the world in this transition. We also launched the first cohort of AI agents covering procurement, tax audit, customer happiness, and technical support, and celebrated the graduation of a new cohort from the Federal Artificial Intelligence Programme.”
His Highness added, “What we are building today, under the supervision of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and with the support of our national teams, is not just a government project, but a model that will inspire the world. Technology must serve people and enhance quality of life. This remains the UAE’s enduring commitment to future generations.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reviewed the general framework of the UAE Government’s new ecosystem, presented by UAE ministers at the Retreat.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed also reviewed the practical projects and applications developed by federal ministries and entities in the field of Agentic AI. The Retreat featured specialised workshops and sessions for government leaders to develop concepts and enhance the integration of Agentic AI across various facets of government work in the coming phase, in addition to the graduation of the sixth cohort of the Artificial Intelligence Programme.
Launch of AI Agents
During the national Retreat, the UAE Government launched the nation’s first cohort of AI Agents, featuring four specialised systems powered by Agentic AI. This initiative aligns with the UAE’s strategic direction to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI and transition 50% of government operations and services into AI-powered models within two years.
Designed to support vital sectors, this initial rollout includes the Procurement AI Agent, the Tax Auditing AI Agent, the Customer Happiness AI Agent and the technical Support AI Agent.
The Procurement AI Agent supports procurement teams and streamlines sourcing procedures by optimising workflows to boost overall operational efficiency and speed.
The Tax Auditing AI Agent is designed to enhance data verification and tax review processes, significantly improving compliance, audit turnaround times, and the quality of final outcomes.
The Customer Happiness AI Agent empowers service agents with rapid access to vital information, enabling faster, more efficient responses that elevate the customer’s experience and government service quality.
The technical Support AI Agent manages IT services and assists technical teams in resolving system challenges more effectively, thereby ensuring business continuity and maximising the readiness of digital government services.
During a keynote session, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, outlined the company’s AI transformation.
He detailed ADNOC’s progression from building digital foundations to integrating AI into operations, and its current shift toward physical AI, field robotics, and autonomous systems.
Al Jaber also announced the launch of ENERGYai, a platform connecting intelligent agents across the energy value chain. He concluded with key lessons learned from ADNOC’s experience, noting that success relies on strong leadership, organisational readiness, and execution speed.
He also revealed that ADNOC’s AI-powered corporate services programme now deploys over 115 AI agents across core functions like HR, finance, procurement, and auditing.
Furthermore, 20,000 employees have been trained to build job-specific Agentic AI models, resulting in 3,000 active models supporting daily tasks. This initiative has driven significant internal adoption, with Agentic AI utilisation reaching 80% over the past 90 days.
Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, led another keynote session during the Retreat, and highlighted the role of Agentic AI as a strategic driver of global government competitiveness.
He explained that this technology is transforming the way governments operate, moving beyond basic task automation and digitisation to enable more proactive systems with advanced capabilities for independent thinking, planning, and execution.
Al Olama noted that this evolution delivers a landmark shift in decision-making speed and quality, service efficiency, and responsiveness to change.
He also emphasised that early adopters of Agentic AI are poised to lead global governance and competitiveness indexes, while governments that fall behind risk facing a widening capability gap.
Backed by an advanced legislative framework, robust digital infrastructure, and a clear leadership vision, the UAE is positioned as a global pioneer in utilising AI to build the government of the future, standing at the forefront of an unprecedented wave of tech adoption in the coming phase.
In a session titled ‘Governments in the Era of Agentic AI: Redefining the Government Work Model’, Luukas Ilves, Co-Founder of ‘The Agentic State’ initiative, provided a comprehensive vision of how Agentic AI is reshaping government systems worldwide, highlighting the most successful practical models in the field.
The session discussed the essential requirements for governments to redesign their operations and services amid this transition. It focused on the critical factors that differentiate governments that merely adapt to technological change from those that actively lead and shape it.