UAE Creates Role of Minister for Artificial Intelligence

The UAE recently made a bold move that is perhaps the strongest demonstration of any government's official endorsement of Artificial Intelligence technology. An Artificial Intelligence minister has been appointed, implying enough reliance and expectations of reliance on the technology to warrant the position. The official title will be State Minister for Artificial Intelligence, and the activities of the position will coincide with UAE's 2031 AI Strategy, a comprehensive government effort that will integrate all AI technologies in the society. The young appointee is 27-year-old Omar Sultan Al-Ulama, who brings his experience as Deputy Director of the Future Department and now Managing Director of the World Government Summit to the position. The announcement came on Thursday from UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed, part of a general restructuring of the Cabinet: "We announce the appointment of a minister for artificial intelligence. The next global wave is artificial intelligence and we want the UAE to be more prepared for it."