The United Arab Emirates has quickly become one of the leading tech and innovation hubs in the Middle East. Fueled by the goal of making the U.A.E. into a global leader in advanced technology, leaders in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have taken meaningful steps to foster a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy of the future.
Among these measures, the U.A.E. appointed a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and a Chief AI Officer within each government ministry to strategically incorporate AI across the country’s government and economy. The U.A.E. also created a number of other far-sighted institutions – such as Smart Dubai, the Dubai Future Foundation, the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, and the Advanced Technology Research Council – designed to harness the capabilities of new technologies.
Within this environment, prominent U.S. companies—including Amazon, Cisco, Meta, Google, HPE, IBM, Microsoft, and OpenAI—are collaborating with Emirati public and private sector stakeholders on initiatives designed to accelerate innovation and the adoption of AI, blockchain, robotics, cloud computing, and digitization across the U.A.E. Additionally, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Mubadala, and Dubai Future Foundation are supporting tech startups operating in the U.A.E. by providing access to capital, workspace, and mentorship.
The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council has played an active role in promoting partnerships between the U.S. and the U.A.E. in the technology sector. The Council has led two delegations of high-level U.S. executives on Department of Commerce-certified tech missions to the U.A.E. The Council has also convened meaningful discussions for U.S. industry representatives with the U.A.E. Minister of State for AI, the U.A.E. Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and the U.A.E.’s Chief AI Officers.
Moreover, the Business Council has engaged with leadership from the Dubai Future Foundation, Smart Dubai, and other Emirati organizations and held discussions on the future of communications technology, big data, digital transformation, and Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem through events and webinars.
The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council has also supported tech startups in their efforts to establish operations in the U.A.E. by brokering cross-border connections. At the same time, it has supported U.A.E. investments in the U.S. tech sector, including through the U.A.E.’s commitment in 2025 to invest $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over 10 years. The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council has highlighted U.S.-U.A.E. collaboration in tech through a special series of reports covering Artificial Intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and agtech.
Importantly, the Business Council is an active supporter of robust discussion surrounding data localization and privacy issues. In line with these objectives, the Business Council has long had a highly active Digital Domain Task Force, which has allowed member companies to raise concerns and best practices with U.S. and U.A.E. policymakers surrounding data policy. This Task Force builds on the Council’s longstanding work on creating platforms for its members to discuss U.A.E. data localization regulations with U.S. and U.A.E. government officials.
As the U.S.-U.A.E. Advanced Technology Partnership continues to introduce new opportunities for collaboration, the Business Council looks forward to supporting member companies by providing access to decision-makers and promoting continued dialogue.
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