Abu Dhabi: TECHz – News Desk
The National Experts Program (NEP) has officially launched the first technical learning phase of its specialized Artificial Intelligence Track (NEP-AI). Designed to bridge technology, leadership, and national development, the module marks a critical milestone in preparing 32 Emirati experts to drive the UAE’s AI-powered economic and structural transformation.
Launched in the presence of H.E. Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and H.E. Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology, the inaugural module is titled “AI Foundations and the AI Stack.”
While many training programs focus purely on end-user AI applications, this first module is designed to dissect how AI systems are built, trained, deployed, and scaled in real-world environments. A central focus of the curriculum is AI compute, which explores the immense processing power required to enable modern artificial intelligence. The cohort is examining hardware dependencies, such as the critical role of specialized Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), alongside the infrastructure realities of massive energy requirements and global supply chains.
Furthermore, the experts are studying data architecture to understand how data quality, structure, and governance directly influence model performance and deployment within enterprise organizations. “Developing highly skilled national talent with both technical expertise and strategic insight has become a national priority to ensure the UAE remains at the forefront of technological advancement,” stated H.E. Omar bin Sultan Al Olama during the launch.
The program structure closely aligns with the UAE National AI Strategy 2031. It divides participants across 25 distinct sectors while uniting them under core AI tracks that include AI Productization, Sovereign AI, and Human-AI Leadership. During the launch, H.E. Omran Sharaf noted that AI has evolved into a foundational pillar of the new global order, serving as a strategic necessity for economic competitiveness and national resilience.
To ground the theoretical curriculum in practical application, participants are conducting high-level field visits to two of the UAE’s premier technology institutions in Abu Dhabi. At the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), CEO Dr. Najwa Aaraj is leading discussions on how to transition from national strategy to real-world infrastructure, heavily focusing on the requirements for building sovereign AI capabilities. Simultaneously, at ADIA Lab, Director Dr. Horst Simon and resident scientists are guiding the cohort through the strategic importance of compute resources for ongoing AI innovation.
The foundational knowledge acquired in this module will directly feed into the participants’ Capstone Projects. Rather than engaging in theoretical exercises, the experts will use these projects to address real organizational and national challenges. By developing a common technical language and a grounded understanding of the full “AI stack,” the cohort aims to create practical solutions with measurable impact. As they progress through subsequent modules focusing on leadership, venture creation, and strategy, this initial training ensures that the UAE’s next generation of technological leaders understands not just what AI can do, but exactly how it is built from the ground up.
