The UAE government is increasingly leveraging technology to simplify processes for its residents, particularly in areas like the issuance of birth certificates. As machine learning and advanced technologies become more prevalent, governments worldwide are adopting them to collaboratively design cities with their citizens, according to experts at the CX Evolve Summit in Dubai.
“Governments are now involving citizens in decision-making processes to shape cities and co-create solutions,” explained Himanshu Malhotra, advisor to the chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi. “For instance, in Moscow and Paris, citizens participate in decisions such as bus routes and speed limits. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used to understand the needs of the population.”
Malhotra shared this insight during the opening panel discussion at the fourth edition of the CX Evolve Summit, held on Thursday. He provided an example of how Abu Dhabi is utilizing AI to enhance the city’s infrastructure.
“In Abu Dhabi, we have inspection vans equipped with AI that detect and address city image issues proactively, without requiring residents to report them,” he said. “We are using big data and analytics for informed decision-making, analyzing traffic patterns and future population trends to plan new neighborhoods and road layouts.”
Streamlined Birth Certificate Process
One notable example of the UAE’s use of technology to ease residents’ lives is in the process of issuing birth certificates. Hassa Said Al Mazrouei, Medical Director of Patient Experience at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, elaborated on this development.
“We encountered many challenges in creating birth certificates,” she noted. “What should be a simple process often turned difficult for parents trying to get all the documents into the system. This prompted the Abu Dhabi Department of Health and hospitals across the emirate to integrate into a single system. Now, with just a click of a button, parents can generate a birth certificate, making their joyous moments even more special.”
Al Mazrouei also mentioned how the hospital addressed a common concern among patients regarding their interaction with doctors. “Patients often felt disconnected when doctors focused on typing into the system while talking to them. We introduced dictation software that allows doctors to take notes while maintaining eye contact, improving the overall patient experience.”
Enhancing Consumer-Brand Relationships
The CX Evolve Summit brought together industry leaders to discuss ways to enhance customer service, focusing on delivering value beyond personalization while protecting privacy and data integrity.
“The event was outstanding, underscoring the importance of evolving consumer-brand relationships in today’s fast-changing market,” said Andreas Markdalen, Global Chief Creative Officer at frog. “As brands in the Middle East adapt to changing consumer mindsets, we’re thrilled to continue co-creating seamless experiences that deeply resonate with people.”
UAE Government’s Role in AI Adoption
Humaid Hassan Salem Alshamsi, an expert in customer experience and government excellence, commended the UAE government for creating an environment conducive to AI adoption during his panel discussion.
“As a government, we must be more efficient,” he remarked. “We need to utilize technology and collaborate with the private sector because customer expectations are high. We have established customer councils to gather feedback and a UX lab for testing new apps. The UAE government is committed to working together to enhance the human experience.”
He highlighted the UAE Pass as an example of this commitment. “All government services, and increasingly the private sector, are using UAE Pass to improve customer experience. It’s a prime example of how we use data to personalize the experiences of UAE residents.”
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