The UAE’s digital transformation agenda continues to set global benchmarks, and the Abu Dhabi Government’s commitment to fully integrating AI into its digital services by 2027 is yet another bold step towards a smarter, more efficient, and future-ready society. This strategy not only places Abu Dhabi at the forefront of AI adoption globally but also helps define how we can collaborate with the public sector to drive meaningful change and ensure that AI-driven solutions enhance services rather than replace human expertise.
One of the greatest challenges in large-scale AI integration is ensuring that technology is deployed in ways that create tangible benefits, focusing on areas where it can complement human knowledge and capabilities rather than replace them. AI is also not a silver bullet—it must be strategically embedded to augment human expertise rather than act as a substitute. It is most effective when the data it processes is high-quality, well-structured, and robust.
AI is also a key enabler for better decision-making, allowing government departments to anticipate citizen needs and deliver services proactively. Predictive analytics, for example, can be used in healthcare to identify patterns in patient data and allocate resources more efficiently. In urban planning, AI-driven insights can help manage traffic congestion and improve public transport networks, leading to smarter, more liveable cities. These capabilities highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration in making AI adoption impactful.
The private sector has a role to play in guiding government organisations on how to optimise data governance, ensuring AI-driven transformation is built on solid foundations. It can also bring global expertise, develop real-world use cases, and help create AI applications that improve customer experience, streamline operations, and drive sustainability. By leveraging AI responsibly, governments can build services that are not only more efficient but also more inclusive, ensuring that digital transformation benefits all citizens equally. AI-powered platforms can bridge accessibility gaps by offering multilingual, voice-activated, and adaptive services tailored to individual needs.
The UAE’s AI strategy is, importantly, not just about technology—it is also about people. The government’s plans to create 5,000 new jobs and advance Emiratisation efforts highlight the importance of upskilling the workforce to work alongside AI rather than be displaced by it. Overcoming resistance to AI adoption requires a clear, human-centred approach—one that emphasises training, transparency, and trust-building.
Governments, NGOs and businesses that have implemented AI successfully understand that change management is just as important as the technology itself. By sharing best practices, offering AI literacy programmes, and demonstrating how AI can improve—not disrupt—existing workflows, the private sector can help organisations embed AI in a way that enhances productivity while ensuring employees feel empowered.
Serco has a track record of working with governments worldwide to implement AI-enabled solutions that improve efficiency while maintaining a human-first approach. A notable example is our work with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to modernise the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance eligibility process.
Through intelligent automation, we streamlined document verification, reducing processing times while ensuring accuracy for millions of citizens. AI-powered solutions, including robotic process automation (RPA), natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning-driven analytics, helped identify discrepancies, automate approvals, and improve response times. This initiative delivered significant cost savings while enhancing the customer experience—demonstrating how AI can be a force for good when deployed strategically.
Today, millions more Americans have been able to qualify for and keep their subsidised health insurance—ensuring families can get the care they need. The innovations and made also resulted in a 45% decrease in costs, despite a 40% increase in enrolment, saving the federal government millions of dollars while improving quality and responsiveness, and providing additional resiliency in the event of future disruptive events like the pandemic.
Examples such as this one demonstrates the immense potential of collaboration between public and private sectors to shape a future-ready, inclusive society. By taking a human-centric approach to AI adoption, the private sector can support the Abu Dhabi Government in delivering smarter, more efficient public services that create a better, more connected future for everyone.
By: A response from Daniel MacGregor, Chief Growth Officer at Serco, on the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027 and plans to fully integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its digital services by 2027.