UAE Bars AI Agents From Making Government Decisions Affecting Human Livelihoods

The UAE government has drawn a definitive red line regarding public-sector automation, declaring that AI agents will not be permitted to make decisions that impact individual livelihoods, Khaleej Times reported. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in the Office of the Prime Minister, stated that the policy applies because the full capabilities of current technology remain unknown and human livelihood cannot carry a dollar value.

Speaking at a panel titled 'Trust Test for Agentic AI' at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders in Dubai, Al Olama disclosed that the leadership has targeted automated AI agents to deliver 50 percent of federal government services within two years. A comprehensive mapping of all federal services determined that approximately 70 percent can tolerate AI deployment, while the remaining 30 percent carry error risks that exceed state tolerance and will not be automated.

Lower-risk transactional procedures, including passport renewals, are categorized as eligible for AI agents, whereas sensitive services demanding elevated scrutiny remain strictly under human discretion. On workforce readiness, Al Olama said a nationwide initiative to train one million people as 'super prompters' will conclude this month, while all federal personnel are scheduled to finish comprehensive AI training by August next year, with half having completed it to date.

Addressing international governance, Al Olama stated that global deliberations should move past questions of slowing technological rollout, noting competitive dynamics between the United States and China. He urged world governments to establish binding deadlines and prioritize shared accords on extreme risks, beginning with bans on autonomous weapons capable of lethal targeting decisions.