From smarter government services and AI-powered healthcare to education, energy and transport
AI is no longer just something happening somewhere in Silicon Valley, it’s becoming part of everyday life in Abu Dhabi.
From hospitals and schools to government offices, energy and transport, the capital is going all in on the technology.
And now it has the ranking to prove it, landing 11th globally and first in the Middle East in The Observer’s 2026 AI Cities Index.
From government services to hospitals, schools, energy and transport, Abu Dhabi is increasingly building AI into everyday life.
The emirate has set itself an ambitious target of becoming the world’s first AI-native government by 2027, with more than AED13 billion being invested in its digital transformation.
More than 200 AI solutions are planned across government services, covering everything from back-office operations to customer services.
That is already happening on a huge scale. Some 35,000 government employees now have access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing generative AI into their everyday work.
AI is also moving into Abu Dhabi’s hospitals. A new intelligent surgical network is connecting operating rooms across Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, PureHealth, Mediclinic and NMC Healthcare, using AI and data to support surgeons, improve training and help make procedures more precise.
Education is another major focus, with AI being integrated into learning and teacher training.
Abu Dhabi is also home to Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, helping build the research and talent pipeline needed for the emirate’s growing tech sector.
AI is being used to help optimise the power grid and integrate renewable energy, while the UAE is also moving towards autonomous transport.
The wider AI strategy covers space, aviation, advanced manufacturing, robotics and life sciences, too.
And then there’s the infrastructure behind it all. Stargate UAE, announced by OpenAI and its partners, includes a planned 1GW AI cluster in Abu Dhabi, with 200MW expected to come online in 2026.
There’s still plenty of room to grow, but with AI already making its way into so many corners of daily life, Abu Dhabi’s tech transformation is only getting started.
So, 11th in the world might only be the beginning. Abu Dhabi isn’t just talking about an AI future, it’s building the infrastructure, services and industries to make it part of everyday life.
