Dubai launches ChatGPT-style 'digital city concierge' offering services and information

Dubai AI platform is able to answer queries on 15 sectors, including tourism, aviation, healthcare, entertainment and education

Matar Al Hemeiri, chief executive of the Digital Dubai Government Establishment at Digital Dubai, introducing the Dubai AI digital city concierge service on Wednesday. Photo: Dubai Future Foundation

Dubai has launched a new platform powered by generative artificial intelligence, which will serve as a "digital city concierge" offering a wide variety of services and information within the emirate.

The Dubai AI initiative, which is now live on the dubai.ae website and the Dubai Now mobile application, is a ChatGPT-style service with an interface that is able to answer queries on 15 sectors, including tourism, aviation, healthcare, entertainment and education.

Dubai AI, which is being positioned as a "unified, seamless channel", is planning to expand these sectors with the help of the public and private sector, Matar Al Hemeiri, chief executive of the Digital Dubai Government Establishment at Digital Dubai, said during the launch of the service at the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI on Wednesday.

"Digital transformation is not new to Dubai, but we have a lot to be done. We are inviting all our partners and work with us to co-create these use cases," he said.

Dubai has taken a leadership role in the rollout of smart services, governance and regulation over the past two decades. In 2000, Dubai Internet City was launched, alongside the emirate's smart services and eGovernment strategy, followed by M Government in 2013.

In 2014, the Smart Dubai platform was launched, helping oversee key and emerging technology components, including smart cities, blockchain and data law.

The Paperless Dubai initiative, aimed at making government entities paper-free, was launched in 2018, helping to save about Dh900 million ($245 million) in government costs and an estimated 39,000 trees through 2021.

In 2021, Digital Dubai was created, with a mandate to develop and oversee the implementation of policies and strategies that govern all matters related to the emirate's information technology, data, digital transformation, and cyber security.

It brings together the expertise of four entities – the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai Data Establishment and Smart Dubai Government Establishment.

Last year, the UAE government announced its Digital Economy Strategy with the goal of increasing the contribution of the sector to the GDP by 20 per cent over the next 10 years, up from 9.7 per cent in 2022, as it seeks to leverage cutting-edge technologies and attract high-skilled talent.

Meanwhile, ChatGPT, the generative AI platform created by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, became a sensation because of its advanced conversational capabilities.

Its emergence sparked a race between the biggest technology companies and personalities, including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle and Elon Musk.

The launch of Dubai AI is part of efforts to "drastically change" the way the government offers its services to the emirate's residents, said Moza Suwaidan, chief executive of the digital applications and platforms sector at the Digital Dubai Government Establishment.

"Our role in the future will be more focused on enablement and regulations as opposed to operating different services and systems," she said.