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UAE Launches Federal Authority to Centralise AI and Data Oversight
The UAE established the Federal Authority for Artificial Intelligence and Data on June 14, 2026, after Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the creation of a central body to oversee artificial intelligence, data governance and digital government functions that will report directly to the Cabinet. The authority will be led by Minister of State Omar Al Olama and merges the Artificial Intelligence Office, the digital government sector of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority and the Emirates Data Office, which had not become fully operational, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office.
The Government of Dubai Media Office detailed that the authority holds a broad mandate to set unified national policies for AI and data while proposing legislation and strategies to guide development across the federation. It will ensure coordination between federal and local digital initiatives, establish standards and guidelines for management of data and artificial intelligence systems, and drive compliance among government entities. The body is additionally tasked with building national research and development capacity alongside expanding the UAE’s international partnerships in artificial intelligence.
A Morgan Lewis publication from June 15, 2026, noted that the consolidation resolves previous fragmentation in oversight that had left regulatory jurisdiction and enforcement questions unresolved in practice. The authority is anticipated to assume responsibility for finalising implementing regulations under the Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, which has operated without a clearly designated private-sector supervisory authority since its passage. Such an approach could reference established practices from the DIFC and ADGM data commissioners to promote consistency between mainland and free-zone frameworks.
Official documents from the UAE National AI Strategy 2031 place the creation of this authority within a longer-term push to position the country as a global leader in the technology by aligning with the UAE Centennial 2071 goals. The strategy projects that full AI adoption across industries could generate AED 335 billion in additional economic output by 2031, representing roughly 14 percent of non-oil GDP according to government-commissioned analysis. Priority areas for deployment include education, healthcare, transportation, government services and sustainability initiatives where artificial intelligence is expected to improve efficiency and deliver social benefits.
Morgan Lewis analysis found that questions persist over the allocation of Internet of Things regulation, since the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority will continue as the dedicated telecommunications regulator after transferring only its digital government functions. The new authority will likely address such jurisdictional boundaries during its initial operational phase. Businesses engaged in AI development, data processing and digital infrastructure have been advised to track early policy decisions and engagement mechanisms for signals on the regulatory environment.
Gulf News reported that the authority forms part of a sustained effort to pair technological ambition with structured governance that supports both innovation and compliance. Recent parallel initiatives include a plan to shift 50 percent of federal government operations, procedures and services to agentic AI models within two years. The unified structure is positioned to coordinate these digital transformation objectives while reinforcing the UAE’s knowledge-based economy.
