UAE: The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) launched the generative AI-supported version of UAE Government’s Unified Digital Platform u.ae, which is considered the interface of the government’s digital presence and the access channel to the services provided by the federal and local government entities in the UAE.

This step comes in the context of an ambitious plan that includes a package of AI services that was launched by H.E. Talal Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman of TDRA Board of Directors, and is being implemented successively to keep pace with technological developments and enhance the customer experience.

The generative AI-supported version of UAE Government’s Unified Digital Platform (u.ae) provides an interactive environment that allows users to obtain information and government services in an interesting and interactive way around the clock. Anyone can access all the information and services available in the platform, using UAE Pass to switch to the website of another government entity. Using UAE Pass will ensure that users will not need to repeat the registration process in more than one entity, nor will they need to memorize many passwords to shift between government websites, but rather browse smoothly and easily from one website to another.

In this context, TDRA’s specialized teams have re-presented the content in a way that facilitates the customer journey and shortens the time for obtaining information and services, which enhances customer happiness. The upgraded version of u.ae leverages generative AI algorithms to achieve live interaction between the user and the platform, while ensuring privacy by using UAE Pass to log in the platform. When the user logs in and searches for information and services, he gets his needs in an individualized and accurate manner, thanks to the use of AI algorithms and UAE Pass, thus, he gets his needs quickly, without going through a long process of navigation between several options.

Commenting on this development, H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, TDRA Director General said: “the UAE Government’s Unified Digital Platform, u.ae, represents the UAE’s digital presence. It is the most visited website in the country, as 20 million people use it annually to search for information and services that they need in their daily lives”. He added: “With this vitality, the portal reflects the digital lifestyle in the UAE, where customers can obtain their services through digital channels, and access the information they want through a one-stop shop linked to the websites of all federal and local government entities.”

H.E. Al Mesmar added: “By introducing AI into the mechanisms of u.ae, we have taken another important step towards the digital future, through embracing the latest technologies to facilitate the lives of customers and enhance the concept of interactive government that puts the customer at the top of its priorities and provides an easy and fast user experience. U.ae is a key element in the UAE digital leadership, as it is included in international organizations assessments of digital government development level, including the UN E-Government Survey in which the UAE ranked first the Arab region and the 13th globally in the development of digital government. It also ranked first in the Arab region and 12th globally in the Online Service Index”

U.ae is an embodiment of the Whole-of-Government Approach, as it provides access to nearly 3,000 services provided by all federal and local government entities, and contains thousands of information pages that cover all the customers’ needs, including citizens, residents, and visitors, as well as the business sector. The portal is connected and linked with all federal and local government websites, which facilitates visitors' access to the information and services they need.

U.ae a single letter domain name, which makes it simple and easy to memorize. The domain name reflects the UAE’s unique characteristics. The letter U stands for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also refers to the pronoun “you”, which reflects the focus of the UAE Government and its keenness to communicate with customers and listen to their needs.

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Terms:

  • UAE Government’s Unified Digital Platform u.ae: The unified portal for all government services and a main platform for interaction and communication with the government.
  • UAE Pass: The first national identity that allows all citizens, residents and visitors to access the services of local and federal government entities, and other service providers, and to digitally sign and authenticate documents and transactions.
  • Digital participation: The process that includes the involvement of citizens (the public) through ICTs in the development of services and policies.
  • Generative Artificial Intelligence: Generative AI represents the latest, most advanced and widespread artificial intelligence technology. It is a type of machine learning technique that has the ability to create new data. Generative AI can also be used to create a virtual assistant for chat and customer service. Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), a branch of artificial intelligence, generative models are created that are trained to create texts that simulate human production, such as writing or speech.

 About TDRA:

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) undertakes the task of supervising the telecommunications and digital government sectors in the UAE in accordance with the Telecommunications Law issued by Federal law by Decree No. (3) of 2003 and its amendments, and in accordance with Decree No. 23 issued on September 27, 2020, amending some provisions of Federal Law by Decree No. (3) of 2003 regarding the regulation of the telecommunication sector, and adding the “digital government” to the functions and name of the authority.

TDRA’s regulatory role is to ensure the provision of distinguished telecommunications services, develop the telecommunications sector, ensure the interests of the parties, apply the relevant policy and regulatory frameworks, develop human resources, and encourage research and development, to ensure the UAE’s leading regional and global position in the telecommunications sector.

In the field of enabling digital transformation, TDRA is responsible for supervising the federal digital government under Law No. 3 of 2011. Since then, TDRA has become responsible for digital transformation at the national level through two strategic goals: enhancing the smart lifestyle, and Leadership in smart technological infrastructure in the UAE.