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The two-day AI Everything Abu Dhabi conference has concluded. The event brought together more than 400 exhibitors, over 180 speakers and more than 200 investors managing around $100 billion in technology assets.
One of the conference’s key topics was who should use artificial intelligence and how to ensure it is used responsibly. The question arose across sectors ranging from healthcare and energy supply to public services and cybersecurity.
Government rules on artificial intelligence lag behind
According to a World Bank study covering 60 economies, about two-thirds of governments have officially enabled their employees to use generative artificial intelligence. However, only 39% have formal rules governing its use, while 38% are still developing such rules. The World Bank has characterized the process as “widespread but shallow” adoption.
Abu Dhabi’s 2025–2027 digital strategy allocates 13 billion dirhams ($3.5 billion) to transforming public administration. The plan envisages introducing more than 200 artificial intelligence solutions in government services and creating a fully sovereign cloud system. The emirate aims to become the world’s first government fully powered by artificial intelligence by 2027.
Applications in healthcare and energy
Abu Dhabi presents the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare as a “living laboratory.” According to an emirate health official, the technology is a practical tool rather than a passing trend. Combining genetic data, readings from wearable devices and medical records is intended to accelerate drug development.
In June, an Abu Dhabi health delegation took part in 22 partnerships and agreements in the United States covering genomics, artificial intelligence and new treatments. The conference also hosted LifeTech, an event focused on healthcare, biotechnology and drug discovery. Participants stressed that medical data is highly personal and that final decisions concerning patients should rest with doctors, not algorithms.
Artificial intelligence was discussed both as part of the climate challenge and as a potential means of addressing it. According to the International Energy Agency, electricity demand from data centers could more than double by 2030. That would be slightly more than Japan’s current total electricity consumption. Last year, data-center energy demand rose by 17%, while global electricity demand increased by 3%.
The head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council said the country faces around 600,000 cyberattacks every day, or 25,000 an hour. Officials said attackers use artificial intelligence to write phishing messages, identify vulnerabilities and create malware.
Defenders are also using the same technology. A tool has been introduced in Dubai to detect fabricated videos, including deepfakes. Artificial intelligence is therefore being deployed on both sides of the cybersecurity battle.
Conference discussions showed that artificial intelligence can increase speed and expand capabilities in healthcare, energy and government systems. At the same time, clear rules, strong cyber defenses and human oversight—with people accountable for final decisions—remain essential.
