Abu Dhabi Unveils AiNative: Comprehensive AI Training for Government and Public
The emirate has launched an ambitious initiative to equip 20,000 government employees and residents with artificial intelligence skills, reinforcing its commitment to becoming the world's first AI-native government by 2027.
Abu Dhabi has introduced AiNative, a significant training programme developed in collaboration with OpenAI, Microsoft and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, designed to democratise AI proficiency across government and society.
Unveiled at Ai Everything Abu Dhabi by the Department of Government Enablement (DGE), the initiative reflects the emirate’s conviction that technological advancement and human capability must evolve in concert. The programme targets 20,000 government employees for upskilling by year’s end, whilst simultaneously offering accessible learning pathways for the broader public.
The government learning journey furnishes employees with practical competency in essential tools including ChatGPT, Codex and Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling confident and responsible application of AI in daily operations. Subsequent phases will introduce specialised certifications in disciplines such as coding and data analytics, tailored to specific departmental functions.
Public access to the learning pathway operates through Tomouh, DGE’s AI-powered learning application, requiring authentication via UAE Pass. Citizens and residents benefit from instruction covering tangible AI applications pertinent to contemporary life: personal financial management, entrepreneurship, employment advancement, educational pursuits and responsible digital content creation. Instruction utilises the complimentary ChatGPT platform.
Significantly, DGE maintains ownership of the curriculum, developed collaboratively with its industry and academic partners. This architecture provides strategic flexibility, permitting the integration of additional partners whilst maintaining an agnostic approach to underlying technologies.
Wesam Lootah, Director General of GovDigital at DGE, emphasised the human dimension of technological progress: “AI will only create lasting value when people have the knowledge and confidence to use it well. AiNative puts that capability at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s AI journey, giving government employees and the wider community practical skills to use AI responsibly in their work and everyday lives.”
Representatives from partner organisations affirmed their commitment to realising Abu Dhabi’s ambitions. Farouk El Hamzawi of OpenAI MENA noted that becoming an AI-native nation fundamentally depends upon cultivating AI-confident populations capable of leveraging sophisticated capabilities responsibly. Amr Kamel of Microsoft UAE underscored that sustainable AI governance balances technological infrastructure with human capability development. Eric Xing, MBZUAI President, highlighted the programme’s role in fostering lifelong learning and thoughtful AI application at scale.
Source: WAM