Al Gergawi: UAE leadership's vision positions country as world's leading government in Agentic AI deployment

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 20th May, 2026) Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Agentic AI Project Executive Committee, delivered the opening address at the Agentic AI Retreat held at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, with the participation of more than 400 senior government officials.

He presented the comprehensive strategic framework of the new national Agentic AI system for the Federal government, which targets the transition of 50% of government sectors, services, and operations to Agentic AI models within two years, positioning the UAE as the first government in the world to achieve this transformation.

Al Gergawi affirmed that the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, have formed the firm foundation from which UAE government teams have pursued and delivered on national targets in this vital sector.

Al Gergawi said, "We began our AI journey as a government in 2017, launching the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and appointing the world's first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. Our leadership had a clear and forward-looking vision. Today, the UAE leads the world in AI adoption, with a rate exceeding 70%, the highest globally according to microsoft's latest report."

He added, "None of this would have been possible without nine years of focused effort in building strategies, creating the right legislative environment, and sustaining investment in this sector. Today, the UAE is the most AI-mature government, society, and financial sector in the world."

Al Gergawi traced the successive phases of government development in the UAE, noting that each phase redefined the relationship between government and citizen. In 2001, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid launched the e-Government initiative, followed in 2013 by the transition to Smart Government with a directive for round-the-clock service delivery. Agentic AI represents the most transformative moment yet in this journey, moving beyond task automation and digitalisation to building a government capable of thinking, planning, and executing with a level of proactivity and precision the sector has never seen before.

Al Gergawi said, "Every era has redefined something fundamental. The Industrial Revolution redefined the economy. The internet redefined knowledge. Agentic AI today is redefining everything at once, from government to economy to education and every sector in between."

Al Gergawi explained that Agentic AI differs fundamentally from generative AI tools, going well beyond information retrieval to executing integrated chains of tasks and managing operations independently and accurately. He said, "In essence, it is like having an additional team member who executes the tasks you assign, exactly the way you want them done."

Al Gergawi affirmed that AI does not replace people but liberates them, giving them greater space to create, innovate, and leave a lasting mark. He said, "AI gives people the most valuable thing they have, which is time.

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More time for family, more time for entrepreneurship, more time for creativity, and more time to build new ideas and sectors that serve our economy and our country."

Al Gergawi also noted that the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs currently operates around 140 Agentic AI assistants on the GovAI platform.

Unprecedented Economic Opportunity and Five Clear Implementation Tracks

Al Gergawi noted that global studies confirm AI can raise workforce productivity by more than 40 per cent in some sectors, adding that the technology will be a key enabler in achieving the UAE's national economic target of AED 3 trillion by 2031, with full confidence the target will be met ahead of schedule. He said, "We have 80,000 employees across the federal government. Agentic AI enables us to multiply their efficiency in the right way. This is a historic opportunity for economic growth and global impact on a scale we have not seen before."

Al Gergawi outlined five integrated implementation tracks, each led by senior federal ministers and officials.

The first track covers Capabilities and Training, led by Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future. It targets the training of 80,000 federal employees as Agentic AI experts, with a combined productive capacity equivalent to 800,000 employees, with training directly linked to promotions, appointments, and performance evaluation.

The second track covers AI Technologies and Data, led by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. It encompasses clear procedures for adopting AI assistants across government entities, approved AI guidelines and systems, and a secure, high-performance infrastructure for AI models.

The third track addresses Operations and Institutional Support, led by Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet. It targets the transition of 50 per cent of institutional operations to Agentic AI systems through specialised teams covering human resources, finance, procurement, and internal audit.

The fourth track focuses on Strategy and Governance, led by Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs. It targets a tenfold increase in the speed of complex decision-making and a 100 per cent improvement in decision accuracy and quality, through AI-powered strategies that are continuously analysed, tested, and updated.

The fifth track is dedicated to Government Services, led by Mohammed Rashid bin Tuleiah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Knowledge Exchange. It targets the transition of 50 per cent of government services to Agentic AI models, in line with the leadership's directive for the UAE to be the world's best government in service delivery.

Al Gergawi concluded, "Our leadership has directed that 50 % of our government work be powered by Agentic AI within two years. I am confident we will exceed that. This is not merely a technology project. It is a national, sovereign, and strategic undertaking to build the world's best government and the world's best country."