The Abu Dhabi Government today launched AiNative, an AI training programme built with OpenAI, Microsoft and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) for every government employee as well as the wider public. It aims to upskill 20,000 government employees by the end of the year and forms part of Abu Dhabi’s drive to become the world’s first AI-native government by 2027.
Announced today at Ai Everything Abu Dhabi by the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE), AiNative advances the emirate’s AI strategy on the principle that technology and human capability must progress together.
AiNative offers foundation learning journeys for government employees and the public, alongside a dedicated executive programme for department leaders. The government journey equips employees at scale with practical tools – including ChatGPT, Codex and Microsoft 365 Copilot – building the skills they need to use AI confidently and responsibly in their daily work. Specialised, function-specific certifications, including areas such as coding and data, will follow in later phases.
Citizens and residents will be able to access the public learning journey via Tomouh, DGE’s AI-powered learning app, by logging in with UAE Pass. The programme will cover practical applications of AI in everyday life, including managing personal finances, running a small business, finding a job, studying and creating content responsibly online, and will be delivered through the free version of ChatGPT.
DGE owns the curriculum, which has been shaped in collaboration with OpenAI, Microsoft and MBZUAI. AiNative is designed to be open and technology-agnostic, providing flexibility to add further partners over time.
His Excellency Wesam Lootah, Director General of GovDigital at DGE, said: “AI will only create lasting value when people have the knowledge and confidence to use it well. AiNative puts that capability at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s AI journey, giving government employees and the wider community practical skills to use AI responsibly in their work and everyday lives. By bringing together government, industry and academia, we are building a common foundation for an AI-enabled society and government.”
Farouk El Hamzawi, Head of Enterprise, OpenAI MENA, said: “Becoming an AI-native nation starts with AI-confident people. As AI moves from answering questions to taking on complex tasks, it opens up new possibilities for how people work, how governments serve and how economies grow. Realising that potential means equipping people with the skills and confidence to use it well. Through this programme, DGE is helping government employees and the wider public to turn Abu Dhabi’s bold AI ambitions into everyday impact.”
Amr Kamel, General Manager, Microsoft UAE, said: “Abu Dhabi’s leadership understands that becoming an AI-native government is as much about people as it is about technology. Through AiNative, government employees will gain the practical skills and confidence to use AI responsibly in their everyday work, helping turn powerful tools such as Microsoft 365 Copilot into better decisions, greater productivity and stronger public services. We are proud to work alongside DGE, OpenAI and MBZUAI to help build the human capability that will sustain Abu Dhabi’s AI ambitions for the long term.”
Eric Xing, MBZUAI President and University Professor, said: “Championing a culture of life-long learning ensures that the benefits of new technologies are understood and realised responsibly by all. Through AiNative, people can gain practical knowledge alongside the judgement to apply AI thoughtfully in a way that it becomes a partner for progress. Developing this capability at scale will be an important part of Abu Dhabi’s transition to an AI-native government and society.”
AiNative is being rolled out in phases. An initial pilot within government is already under way, before it will be made public.
The launch of AiNative follows the rollout of Microsoft 365 Copilot to 35,000 Abu Dhabi Government employees through the Frontier Employee Programme, announced in July.
Together, the initiatives pair access to advanced AI tools with the skills required to use them responsibly and at scale, supporting Abu Dhabi Government’s ambition to become the world’s first AI-native government.
