The age of artificial intelligence is here. And, in the UAE, women are shaping where it will take us. This is the result of decades of vision, trust and investment in women’s potential.
It began by implementing gender equality through teaching. Fifty years ago, according to the UAE Gender Balance Council, less than a third of women were literate in the UAE and only a quarter of female high school students pursued higher education. Today, more than 95 per cent are literate and three-quarters go on to university.
This growth rate extends to Stem, with women now accounting for 56 per cent of graduates at UAE public universities. The global average is just 35 per cent.
I grew up in a UAE shaped by Baba Zayed, the name Emiratis give to our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which means “Father of the Nation”. His belief in women’s abilities was so natural to him that it never felt like a debate.
For my generation, opportunity was a given. But with that came something just as important: a sense of duty. We knew our education and careers were not only for ourselves, but for building the nation that had invested in us.
That sense of responsibility is why Emirati women today are leading in areas that will define the next century. At the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE), where women make up more than half the team, we are building the world’s first AI-native government by 2027.
Since January 2023, more than 5,700 women in Abu Dhabi’s public sector have taken part in AI and digital transformation programmes – learning how to apply these tools to real challenges, lead high-impact projects and set the standards for ethical, inclusive technology.
I have seen women in our government push boundaries in AI policy, sovereign cloud and cybersecurity – fields once thought to be the domain of a few, now shaped by the insight and leadership of many.
This has been possible because our system recognises different paths to leadership. Flexible work, maternity hours and remote options have enabled women – especially mothers – to progress in their careers while raising the next generation of leaders with empathy, responsibility and vision.
Experience has taught me that technology is never neutral. It mirrors the perspectives and priorities of those who shape it. That is why more than merely equality, having women in AI leadership is about building technology that reflects the diversity and humanity we want in the world.
Navigating this historic and global shift will command bold leadership, so it’s rewarding to see that more than half the candidates enrolled on the Abu Dhabi Government’s leadership development programme are women.
These government programmes are an extension of Baba Zayed’s values and beliefs – and they serve multiple goals. They equip women with advanced AI and leadership skills. They ensure women are protagonists in the digital economy. And they create a steady pipeline of future female leaders.
In the UAE, empowering women has been part of our design from the beginning, and it shows. Today, women are not “making space” for themselves in AI – they are already there, setting the pace.
But there is more to be done. As we mark the achievements of Emirati women, we must also recognise that maintaining and expanding these efforts remains essential. This requires collective action, involving government and all sections of society.
The AI era will define the UAE’s next chapter – and Emirati women are already writing it. Our responsibility now is to ensure that what we build serves people, strengthens our nation and reflects the trust placed in us by Baba Zayed. The technologies we shape today will become the foundation for generations to come, and we intend to leave them a future worthy of their ambition.
