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The United Arab Emirates established the Federal Authority for Artificial Intelligence and Data on June 14, 2026, as a centralized federal body that will oversee artificial intelligence, data governance and digital government while reporting directly to the Cabinet. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the authority, which will be headed by Minister of State Omar Sultan Al Olama and consolidate three existing entities, Gulf News reported.
The new authority absorbs the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office, the Information and Digital Government Sector from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority and the Emirates Data Office, according to a Morgan Lewis LawFlash published on June 15, 2026. This restructuring addresses prior fragmentation that had left questions of regulatory jurisdiction and enforcement unresolved in practice. The authority will serve as the central umbrella institution for managing these domains across the federation while the TDRA continues its separate role as telecommunications regulator. Jurisdictional details for areas such as Internet of Things oversight are expected to be clarified in coming months.
Its broad mandate covers setting unified national policy direction for AI and data, proposing legislation and strategies, and ensuring coherence between federal and local digital initiatives, Morgan Lewis stated. The body will establish standards and guidelines for data and AI management, drive compliance across federal entities, build national research and development capacity and expand international AI partnerships. One of the first tasks will involve clarifying overlapping responsibilities with existing regulators.
Morgan Lewis noted that the authority is widely expected to take ownership of finalizing implementing regulations for the UAE Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, which has been in force for several years without full operationalization or a clearly designated private-sector supervisory authority. The law firm pointed to the active enforcement practices and guidance issued by the DIFC and ADGM data protection commissioners as potential models for the new federal body’s approach. Such alignment would reduce compliance complexity for companies operating across mainland and free-zone jurisdictions.
The establishment aligns with the UAE National AI Strategy that aims to generate an additional AED 335 billion in economic growth by 2031 through AI integration in education, government services and community well-being, Morgan Lewis reported. The country has built one of the region’s most active AI ecosystems with consistent policy support. The dedicated authority supplies the institutional framework required to meet those economic and innovation targets.
Businesses operating in AI, data processing and digital infrastructure should track the authority’s early stakeholder engagement, Morgan Lewis advised, as initial decisions will likely influence the regulatory tone for years. The firm’s analysis described the authority as structured to engage with the market while advancing policy, standards and compliance objectives. Companies may see progress on long-awaited data protection enforcement within the authority’s first year of operation.
Official statements indicate the authority will support development of an AI-powered government that delivers faster services, smarter decisions and improved public experiences through data and advanced tools. This step forms part of wider federal efforts to position the UAE as a global leader in artificial intelligence adoption. Reports from government forums note parallel initiatives in individual emirates targeting AI-native operations by 2027.
