Al Mansoori emphasised that as AI continues to evolve, cities must stay flexible and collaborative, not only adapting regulations but also benchmarking internationally
Cities need to have lean regulations and must encourage innovative solutions to have the right setup for artificial intelligence, a Digital Dubai official said.
Hamad Al Mansoori, the director general of Digital Dubai, was speaking during a session about building ‘AI-first Nations’ on the inaugural day of GITEX EUROPE x Ai, taking place in Berlin from May 21 to May 23. He said that cities need to have “AI principles” which must be “lawful, fair, unbiased, accountable, privacy-preserved, and robust”.
To build successful AI-operated cities, Al Mansoori said that there needs to be key elements. The first, he explained, is creating the right regulatory environment. “You need to have a lean regulation, encourage innovation in the city, and make sure that you have the right setup for AI to operate,” he said, calling this one among the most complex challenges cities face today.
Secondly, cities must focus on quality and collaboration with the private sector. “What we are offering here is sharing any regulation in the city with the private sector,” Al Mansoori said, explaining that sometimes those principles might clash due to the private sector’s business model. He explained, “[Cities] need to be smart and start with simple regulation until it can sustain the main principle of AI, which is privacy. This is one of the most important things.”
The third element is the formation of a dedicated AI oversight body. This entity would monitor the AI environment in the city, carry out benchmarking exercises, and respond to feedback or complaints from both the private sector and government departments. “It’s important that your principles remain agile and smart, so that the talent and innovation in your city can thrive,” he noted.
Al Mansoori emphasised that as AI continues to evolve, cities must stay flexible and collaborative, not only adapting regulations but also benchmarking internationally and working closely with other governments. “You always have to make sure that your principles are agile and smart, to make sure those people with that talent can sustain in your city,” he said.
Source : Khaleej Time
Published: 22 May 2025
