E-Paper
Sign In
Excessive focus on AI regulation can overshadow its practical benefits: UAE minister
The comments come as governments and businesses worldwide continue to consider how to regulate AI while ensuring innovation is not slowed by regulatory uncertainty
- PUBLISHED: Mon 21 Sept 2026, 12:47 PM
The UAE is working to give businesses and individuals early access to frontier technologies while ensuring they retain control over sensitive data, as the country seeks to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across its economy sectors, Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications said.
Speaking during a discussion on technology and innovation at a ForsaTEK event in Dubai on Monday, Omar said the UAE’s approach is not centered on a single technology company or one major partnership, but on creating an ecosystem that gives organisations access to emerging technologies and helps in adopting them safely.
Recommended For You
He added that multiple technology-related announcements are expected in the coming months as the UAE works to strengthen its position as a destination for people and organizations seeking access to advanced technologies.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
We are, as a country, focused and fixated on ensuring that we have an unclear advantage compared to others in our access to technology
Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications
The comments come as governments and businesses worldwide continue to consider how to regulate AI while ensuring innovation is not slowed by regulatory uncertainty.
Omar said the conversation around AI should move beyond regulation and focus more strongly on demonstrating what the technology can actually do for people.
He also said an excessive focus on regulation can sometimes overshadow the practical benefits of AI. At the same time, people who fear artificial intelligence may already use algorithm-driven technologies every day without recognising how deeply AI is integrated into their lives.
The challenge, he said, is to educate people so they become “wielders of the technology” rather than people who are displaced or overwhelmed by it.
Technology must scale the passenger experience
The discussion also highlighted the importance of technology in sectors such as aviation, where international connectivity means airlines and airports depend on systems, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks that work across borders.
For established organizations such as Emirates, Omar said innovation must be balanced with the responsibility that comes with operating major brands and services.
“Don’t stop innovating. Take calculated risks. Don’t just take risks,” he said.
Omar said established organizations face a particular challenge because they have built reputations that they cannot put at unnecessary risk.
Rather than measuring technology only through conventional business metrics such as revenue per employee, organizations should also consider how technology can improve the experience of the people they serve.
In aviation, this means looking at how technology can help airlines, airports, customs, border authorities, and other parts of the ecosystem serve growing numbers of travellers without requiring infrastructure and staffing to expand at the same pace.
Omar said technology will be essential to helping the UAE scale its passenger experience, particularly given the country’s geography and the capacity of its airport infrastructure.
AI will not replace humans
Omar also stressed that greater use of AI does not mean removing people from services entirely.
While AI can handle routine tasks efficiently, travellers and customers still value human interaction in some situations.
He pointed to education as an example, saying that the early expectation that large language models would completely transform education had highlighted the importance of human interaction, including social and emotional intelligence.
The same principle applies to airports and other customer-facing environments, where technology should enhance human service rather than eliminate it.
“You don’t want to replace the full airport with robots and AI,” Omar said.
Instead, technology should identify where human interaction adds value and ensure people remain part of the experience where they are needed.
Multiple technology announcements expected
Omar said the UAE is working with multiple technology partners and that the country’s strategy goes beyond a single partnership with a major global technology company.
The broader objective is to give the UAE an advantage in attracting people and organisations that can choose to work anywhere in the world.
Omar said that advantage would involve quality of life, but also early access to emerging technologies in a way that does not require organisations to surrender control of sensitive data.
Arwa Almazrouei is an Arabic editor passionate about storytelling and journalism, and creating impactful content that highlights culture, society, and the inspirational.