The resolution names Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Chair and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Vice-Chair. The membership includes key figures such as Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Dr Ahmed Mubarak bin Nawi Al Mazrouei, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi, Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Peng Xiao, Humaid Obaid Abushibs and Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab.
The council’s enlargement is significant. Initially formed in January 2024, the AIATC was designed to orchestrate research, strategy, investment and regulatory coordination around artificial intelligence and advanced technology in Abu Dhabi. Under the new resolution, the number of council members increases from six to eleven, enabling wider representation of government and private-sector stakeholders.
The shift reflects Abu Dhabi’s wider strategic ambitions. The updated council ties into the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025‑2027, which targets making Abu Dhabi the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027. This ambition spans regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, digital transformation of public services and global collaboration in technology.
Analysts view the reconstitution as both a structural and symbolic move. On the structural side, expanding the council increases capacity for cross-department coordination and aligns senior leadership around technology-led governance. On the symbolic side, elevating roles for figures such as Peng Xiao of G42 signals stronger private-sector engagement and internationalisation of Abu Dhabi’s AI strategy.
Within the UAE’s broader ecosystem, this development should be seen alongside partnerships such as the joint establishment by G42 and Microsoft of research centres in Abu Dhabi, and the launch of open-source models by Technology Innovation Institute. The reconstituted council is expected to oversee the acceleration of such initiatives, including funding, regulation and collaboration with global peers.
However, there are caveats. Experts caution that while the council’s structure is now more robust, realising the AI-native government target hinges on execution: talent retention, data governance, ethical frameworks, regulatory clarity and global regulatory alignment remain challenges. Some observers point out that centralising decision-making in high-level councils must be complemented by operational capacity in ministries, agencies and private firms.
For investors and technology firms, the update offers a clearer signal of Abu Dhabi’s intent. The AIATC’s expanded membership and high-level leadership demonstrate that advanced technology will remain a national priority, potentially unlocking further investment flows, both local and international. Nonetheless, companies will monitor how regulation, transparency and governance evolve in practice.
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