Dubai: H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications stated that the UAE aims to enhance dialogue to integrate global efforts in advancing a robust digital infrastructure and fostering digital skills, in alignment with the changes of the global landscape. Emphasizing the rapid pace of globalization in the technology and artificial intelligence field, Al Olama added that it's crucial to support innovative talents with skills in emerging digital fields.

This came during the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting, hosted by the Republic of India. The meeting included global leaders in the field of digital economy who represent strategic players in promoting global economic growth and future prosperity across various sectors.

His Excellency emphasized that digital infrastructure plays a pivotal role in societal progress and economic growth and a key element in the developmental journey. This involves formulating clear strategies and plans to ensure a thriving digital economy, encompassing the UAE's initiatives such as the National Strategy for the Digital Economy that aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the non-oil GDP by 2031. It also aligns with the goal to achieve the global leadership in mobile internet speed and leveraging technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, in government services as enablers of the robust digital infrastructure.

Al Olama emphasized the importance of securing global supply chains to enhance the digital economy and highlighted the necessity to innovate and adopt specific mechanisms especially for SMEs to improve flexibility in the digital economy. Such efforts represent a global responsibility that require international cooperation.

His Excellency emphasized the significance of aligning education and training outcomes with global technological changes and the requirements of the future workforce market. His Excellency further added the importance to prepare societies and youth with digital skills. His Excellency highlighted the UAE's success in supporting digital skills through the Artificial Intelligence Program, which has graduated over 400 government officials and training more than 30,000 individuals that participated in various digital programs under initiatives like the National Program for Artificial Intelligence, the National Program for Coders, and the One Million Arab Coder Initiative. As well, The UAE's digital education initiatives have extended to seven countries, benefiting over 40,000 students. Moreover, the country achieved a remarkable step by launching Falcon 40B through the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) which recently holding the top spot on Hugging Face leaderboard. 

His Excellency praised the Republic of India for its efforts in organizing digital economy meetings within the G20 and its commitment to fostering digital innovation through collaborations with institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in the UAE. These efforts aim to ensure a prosperous digital economy and contribute significantly to building a promising digital future. Additionally, Al Olama congratulated the government of the Republic of India for the success of their recent moon mission, reflecting the importance of space exploration in the journey of technological progress.

The G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting focused on digital infrastructure, digital innovation, ensuring safety, security, and resilience in the digital economy, as well as developing digital skills to enhance talent readiness for the future.