Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant promise or a technical upgrade. It is fast becoming the defining force shaping how economies grow, societies function and states govern. For governments, this moment demands more than adoption. It demands redesign.
The real question today is not whether AI will transform public administration, but whether governments are prepared to transform themselves.
This is the central finding of the 2025-2026 Arab Public Management Report, developed with the Arab Administrative Development Organisation, in the Arab League, and launched in the coming week at the World Government Summit. Across the Arab world, ambition is high. AI strategies are multiplying. Investments are accelerating. Yet the report is clear: layering advanced technology on to 20th-century bureaucracies and legacy systems produces limited results. In some cases, it creates new complexity. True impact only emerges when governments rethink how decisions are made, how services are designed and how institutions are structured.
In the UAE, we learnt this lesson early. Our approach has never been to treat AI as a digital add-on or a tool to automate existing processes. We see it as a new operating system for the government, from digital to intelligent government.
There is a fundamental difference between a government that uses AI and one that is designed for AI. The first digitises what already exists. The second reimagines what should exist.
In practice, this means moving from reactive to anticipatory government, from standardised services to personalised ones, and from siloed institutions to integrated systems built around life events rather than administrative boundaries. It also means shifting the role of government from processing requests to preventing problems before they arise.
One clear example is Abu Dhabi’s Tamm platform, which has evolved beyond a digital portal into a self-operating government model. By embedding AI at the core, services are increasingly delivered automatically, without citizens needing to apply, submit documents or navigate institutions. This is a redesign of the state’s relationship with people.
A similar philosophy underpins the UAE’s use of AI in legislation. Last year, the Cabinet approved the use of AI to support drafting and reviewing laws through a dedicated Office of Regulatory Intelligence. The goal is not to replace human judgment, but to accelerate legislative cycles, improve quality and simulate the social and economic impact of laws before they are enacted. In a world where technology evolves faster than regulation, governments must learn to legislate at speed.
In this context, it is critical to address one of the most persistent myths about AI, a myth that suggests it will replace people. In government, the opposite is true. The more intelligent systems become, the more important human judgment, ethics and accountability are.
Public administration is ultimately a trust-based relationship. Any use of AI that undermines transparency, fairness or responsibility will fail, regardless of technical sophistication. That is why the UAE has consistently emphasised human-in-the-loop models, clear accountability and responsible AI governance.
We have invested heavily in people, not just platforms. Programmes such as the national AI skills initiative, the training of “chief AI officers” within government and the Jahiz learning platform – which trains federal employees in skills for the future – reflect a core belief: technology amplifies capability, but only when institutions invest in learning, leadership and culture. Skills are no longer a support function. They are a strategic asset.
As AI becomes more powerful, governance becomes more important, not less. Algorithms used in public decision-making must be explainable. Responsibility must be clearly assigned. Citizens must know when and how AI is used.
This is why the UAE has prioritised AI governance frameworks alongside innovation, including certification systems such as the Dubai AI Seal and sector-specific ethical guidelines. Trust must come before – and not merely as a byproduct of – transformation.
The Arab Public Management Report reinforces this point across the region. Governments that moved fastest were not those that launched the most pilots, but those that invested in data governance, interoperability, cybersecurity and institutional readiness.
The Arab world stands at a unique crossroads. Young populations, ambitious development agendas and growing digital capabilities create the conditions for leapfrogging. AI offers the chance not just to improve government efficiency, but to redefine governance itself.
However, this will only happen if AI is treated as a policy choice, not a technical project. It requires redesigning institutions, rethinking the social contract of public service and aligning technology, talent and trust around a clear purpose.
The governments that succeed in the AI era will not be those with the most advanced algorithms. They will be those with the courage to redesign how they work.
The future will not reward governments that adopt tools the fastest, but those that are able to redesign themselves.
