Tech rules must be as ambitious as the technology itself

Facial recognition technology is set to be key to the UAE's efforts to drive efficiency. Too often, however, the global conversation around emerging tech is polarised between hype and fear. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and TourismShow less

When historians look back on this decade, I believe they won't just ask who invented the most powerful algorithm or who built the fastest quantum computer. They will also ask: who ensured those technologies were governed with foresight and responsibility?

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous systems and robotics are no longer speculative. They are reshaping how we govern, how we protect and how we progress. They are having an impact on everything from justice systems and energy grids to health care, education and public services. And they are doing so with breathtaking speed.

At the moment, innovation is outpacing regulation. That much is clear. But if we accept this imbalance as inevitable, we risk something far more dangerous than disruption. We risk a future where progress outpaces principle, and power is left unaccountable.

This is not just a theoretical challenge. It is a practical, global imperative. We must design governance frameworks that are as ambitious as the technologies they aim to guide.

Too often, the global conversation around emerging tech is polarised between hype and fear. We need something different: practical, inclusive and globally relevant dialogue. Governance that is not reactive, but proactive. That does not slow innovation, but channels it in ways that benefit societies.

Our position is clear. The UAE will not wait to be regulated. We will lead by example.

That is why we are embedding AI into public services under Abu Dhabi's newly launched AI-Native Government Strategy. Why we have established the Regulatory Intelligence Office to use AI in evaluating the impact of legislation. Why we are building post-quantum cryptographic systems before the threat becomes urgent. Why we created Falcon, our open-source large language model, and launched the Falcon Foundation to ensure its development is globally inclusive. And why our applied research ecosystem, through the Technology Innovation Institute and commercial ventures like AI71, prioritises governance, safety and ethics by design.

But governance is not a national project. It must be global.

If we repeat the pattern of the early internet, where a small handful of players set the norms for the rest of the world, we will fail. We must create a shared digital space that is secure, interoperable and equitable. That means ensuring the Global South is at the table. That means listening to youth, civil society and academia. That means not just building platforms, but inviting the world to help design them.

We must stop asking who is ahead and start asking what kind of future we want to create.

If we repeat the pattern of the early internet, where a small handful of players set the norms for the rest of the world, we will fail

Our goal is not to define a single model of governance, but to support many. Governance that is adaptive to local context, respectful of sovereignty and responsive to technological reality. From AI in law enforcement to quantum-secure communications, governance must now live at the intersection of policy, infrastructure and deep science.

This is not easy work. It will take time. But the cost of waiting is far greater. Because the truth is, the future is not waiting.

AI systems are already being deployed in decisions that have an impact on people’s lives. Autonomous drones are flying, quantum computers are accelerating and our legal systems are already being tested by technologies they were never built to comprehend.

A drone traffic signal developed by the Ministry of Interior and Abu Dhabi Police to enhance public safety and police efficiency. Such technology is already having an impact of people's lives. Salam Al Amir / The National

The UAE is proud to help shape this conversation not as a finished model, but as a committed partner. We do not claim to have all the answers. But we are building the infrastructure, legal, digital and ethical, to ask the right questions and to do so early.

This week, many of these questions are being explored through the Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit in Abu Dhabi, where global experts are contributing to the frameworks that will define how these technologies serve humanity – with the UAE Federal Public Prosecution leading at the helm.

We are a young nation with an agile mindset. A country that embraces experimentation, invites collaboration, and adapts quickly to change. That spirit is embedded in how we approach innovation, and it must define how we govern it.

If we want innovation to inspire trust, we must build frameworks that earn it. Let us rise to that responsibility together.