The employment of artificial intelligence technologies has become a global priority across many fields, turning into arenas for competition and benefit from this revolutionary technology that tops the interests of world governments, business, and industry. It is heavily relied upon to accelerate innovation, investment, and address many challenges and obstacles towards a different future, whose features we may soon see in all aspects of life such as transportation, infrastructure, government transactions, economy, education, health, and more.

Unfortunately, current applications have started to take a negative path, especially among the general public who interact superficially with this technology through forgery, pranks, image manipulation, privacy violations, and using AI in fraudulent methods targeting those without verification tools who believe content without scrutiny. These behaviors are often mistakenly considered normal but are superficial and require urgent addressing in preparation for the coming days when this technology expands and enters through all doors.

The UAE, which was quick to anticipate this issue and developed its own strategy and extensive investments, was also the fastest in dealing with challenges and predicting current developments. Last year, it launched the AI Development and Usage Charter aimed at ensuring the use of AI technologies to enhance human capabilities while protecting fundamental rights, promoting justice and inclusivity, reducing bias and discrimination, establishing trust through transparency and strict data protection standards, and driving innovation within an ethical governance framework.

This charter plays a crucial role in supporting the UAE’s ambitions to build a sustainable and secure digital future. It is not just a set of guidelines but forms the foundation for a comprehensive regulatory framework for AI that will shape governance in the region in the future. Companies and institutions adopting these principles early will gain a clear competitive advantage, enabling them to harness responsible innovation opportunities and strengthen their leadership in adopting ethical AI.

The UAE’s regulatory approach to AI governance is a decisive factor in supporting companies and ensuring a better future for all by benefiting from transparent, neutral, and secure AI systems through binding legislation. Without clear oversight systems, risks such as bias, misinformation, and misuse could undermine digital governance efforts. This will not happen, God willing, given the vigilance the UAE has become accustomed to in regulating and quickly managing any new field and containing any potential harm or risk.