The Government of the UAE has launched the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, during the UAE Government Annual Meetings held in Abu Dhabi on 26th and 27th September.

The UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution aims to strengthen the UAE's position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to increase its contribution to the national economy by means of advancing innovation and future technologies.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and Chairman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council, affirmed that the strategy reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to position the UAE as a global model in adopting leading-edge technologies to serve society and achieve happiness and sustainability.

Al Gergawi called for intensifying efforts to achieve the vision of the UAE as a leading hub for the fourth industrial revolution. He pointed out that this vision will only be possible by means of cooperation, team work, and effective partnerships between government entities.

The UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution focuses on a number of key fields, including innovative education, which will provide a smart and enhanced learning experience capable of providing the necessary expertise to develop advanced technologies such as science, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence The strategy will transform the health and medical industry in the UAE through the introduction of intelligent genomic medicine. The adoption of intelligent and personal genomic medicine will boost the UAE’s position as a global centre for future healthcare and will enhance medical tourism in the UAE thanks to improved health care levels and personalised medical technologies.

The strategy will also focus on robotic healthcare and adopt research in nanotechnology to facilitate the application of telemedicine and advance the overall healthcare services in the UAE. It will introduce cutting-edge medical solutions such as wearable and implantable technologies.

The UAE Strategy for the Forth Industrial Revolution aims to achieve future security by ensuring water and food security based on the use of bioengineering sciences and advanced renewable energy technologies. It also seeks to enhance economic security by adopting digital economy and blockchain technologies in financial transactions and services.

The strategy also sets out to optimise the utilisation of satellite data in the planning of future cities, and to develop advanced defence industries by developing national industries in the field of robotics and autonomous vehicle technologies.

The strategy outlines the path to achieve the future experience of government services by providing intelligent and interactive government services around the clock to achieve customers’ happiness and to position the UAE as a model for interactive cities using artificial intelligence to achieve sustainability.

Other areas outlined in the strategy include 3D printing projects and the shift from centralised power plants to the decentralisation of power generation as well as space exploration and the development of associated technologies.

The UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterised by a fusion of technologies blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Physical technology is easily recognisable due to its tangible nature, including self-driving cars, 3D printing, and robots. Digital technology is the "Internet of Things", massive data hubs and artificial intelligence, and biotechnology is the science of genetics, which is a major contributor to understanding most serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancer.