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Dubai Has Launched An AI-Powered Digital Concierge
The new platform answers questions from residents and visitors about tourism, entertainment, aviation, healthcare, and education.
The United Arab Emirates is home to several cutting-edge AI initiatives, with Dubai already using the tech to power a smart police station and part of its healthcare system.
With the Emirate’s AI sector projected to make up 20% of the country’s GDP over the next decade, Dubai is rapidly becoming a global artificial intelligence hub. Now, forward-thinking government officials from the Dubai Digital project have launched a new AI-powered “digital concierge” system offering residents and visitors a wide range of services and information.
The AI-powered interactive concierge will be continuously updated with data from official sources. Acting as a personal digital assistant for users, queries can be answered in real-time, with a personalized, interactive dialogue presenting accurate results.
Users of the new platform can field questions about 15 sectors, including tourism, healthcare, entertainment, education, and aviation. Although functionally similar to tools like ChatGPT, Dubai AI is specifically trained to provide detailed information about the city.
During Wednesday’s Dubai Assembly for Generative AI, the Chief Executive of the Digital Dubai Government Establishment, Matar Al Hemeiri, described the new platform as a “unified, seamless channel” and shared plans to expand the service across the public and private sectors.
Meanwhile, Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, called for innovation to harmonize emerging technologies with government policy at a time when AI business opportunities are said to be worth nearly $4.5 trillion.
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“Regulation is extremely important. We need to understand how we can regulate something as big as generative AI. But we need to get started now and look at the challenges and understand the risks,” Belhoul noted.
The CEO of Dubai’s Future Foundation was also keen to explain that developing AI and maximizing its potential could result in GCC countries enjoying over $23 billion in related economic benefits by 2030.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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