The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) education across all age groups in government schools, including kindergartens, beginning in the next academic year. This move is part of the country’s broader ambition to position itself as a global leader in AI innovation and adoption.

Announcing the initiative on social media platform X, Dubai ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized the importance of preparing future generations for a world shaped by emerging technologies.

“Our goal is to teach our children a deep understanding of AI from a technical perspective, while also fostering their awareness of the ethics of this new technology,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote. “Our responsibility is to equip our children for a time unlike ours, with conditions different from ours.”

The AI curriculum will be integrated into various levels of education, ensuring that students gain not only practical knowledge but also an understanding of AI’s societal implications. It marks another bold step in the UAE’s national strategy to embed AI in key sectors of its economy, governance, and education.

The Gulf nation has made significant investments in the field. In 2017, it became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. It also established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi-the world’s first graduate-level research institution dedicated solely to AI.

In February this year, the UAE pledged between 30 and 50 billion euros to help build a massive AI data center in France, further cementing its status as a major player in global AI development.

As AI reshapes the future of work, communication, and learning, the UAE’s early integration of the subject into school curricula positions its youth to become innovators and ethical leaders in the tech-driven world of tomorrow.