The United Arab Emirates is the first country in the world to hire a minister for artificial intelligence

The humanoid robot AILA (artificial intelligence lightweight android) operates a switchboard during a demonstration by the German research centre for artificial intelligence at the CeBit computer fair in Hanover March, 5, 2013. From robots that can flawlessly perform backflips to electric cars that can go over 950 km (600 miles) on a single charge, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the future is far closer than we may have previously thought. If the missteps of the industrial revolution are any indicator, we need to start planning for that future today. And it seems that this is precisely what the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is trying to do. The nation's efforts are mainly concentrated in the city of Dubai, which is already home to a number of futuristic projects, including plans to create a "Mars science city" and build a real life hyperloop, programs for renewable energy and electric vehicles, and tests for flying taxis and even flying jetpacks.