UAE: Looking for a job? Hundreds of tech roles come up as AI booms

Companies are already recruiting for these roles or planning special drives

Nandini Sircar

Published: Wed 12 Jun 2024, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 12 Jun 2024, 3:39 PM

Top government officials at the AI retreat on Tuesday emphasised that the UAE could see the creation of numerous job opportunities due to this technological advancement.

They also assuaged fears about the potential job losses or alterations resulting from the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). Given the rapid evolution of the tech industry in the country, experts stressed that companies might already be recruiting or considering recruitment initiatives in the UAE.

The Artificial Intelligence market in the UAE is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2030) of 28.54 per cent, resulting in a market volume of $4,285.00 million by 2030.

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Speaking to Khaleej Times, Saeed Al Falasi, Director of Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, said: “Today, when you start adopting AI and you start creating products…what do you require? You require the chief of AI to do the thinking and he will have his team. We will need the programmer to start thinking about how they're going to work. Then we will start hiring the cybersecurity experts among many other roles.”

Saeed Al Falasi. Photo: Supplied

Officials also pointed out that with continued innovation and expansion, AI is increasingly becoming an integral part of business operations and consumer-facing applications.

“All of this (above) goes hand in hand just like creating a vehicle that needs somebody to build the engine, the gearbox, and everything around it. Everything has to come together, so jobs may not be specific to AI but in related fields. Nowadays, artificial intelligence is an integral part of programming. It also plays a significant role in cybersecurity. So, it's all going to sync together,” added Falasi.

Need to reinvent

Notably, the AI market in the UAE is set to see significant growth and development until 2030, driven by increasing adoption of AI technologies across industries, advancements in AI algorithms and infrastructure, and growing investment in AI research and development.

However, to excel in these positions, applicants would require expertise in computer vision, machine learning, and natural language abilities, necessitating a reinvention of their skill set.

They explained AI only transforms how we live, work and think.

Major General Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director of the General Department of Artificial Intelligence at Dubai Police said: “We have launched strategies for AI in Dubai police since 2018. Presently, we are increasing the number of AI tools that we're using. We've done 25 operations till now that have been managed by AI across different services.”

“An important initiative is the smart police stations. We have more than 25 Smart police stations managed by zero, police officers. All such initiatives help us to provide better services for the people living in Dubai,” he added.

Major General Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi. Photo: Supplied

By utilising AI algorithms, the Dubai Police have not only sped up the resolution of criminal cases but have also recently reduced the necessity for extensive autopsy procedures.

When enquired if AI will replace jobs as fear-mongering has been growing around technological advancements, Al Razooqi added, “AI is a tool designed to make various tasks easier, but it will not be able to replace humans except for certain roles.”

Dubai is sandbox for innovation

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the private sector also highlighted how Dubai has historically been a “sandbox” for testing new technologies and innovation.

Div Turakhia, Founder Ai tech said: “One can see that in the policy and regulatory support from the government here locally. I think the average population within Dubai is more educated as a mix than what many other cities and countries have.”

He stressed that this will lead to a much quicker and more extensive adoption of AI tools in the emirate.

“It will improve efficiency and the quality of life of the people. This will in turn improve the metrics for every business, which will advance the way we do things…making it faster, cheaper and better overall. I think, as a city, Dubai from an (AI) adoption standpoint, will be one of the pioneers in the world,” added Turakhia.

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