UAE’s National Experts Programme- AI Track Shortlists 135 Finalists

The UAE’s National Experts Programme– AI track (NEP-AI) has shortlisted 135 finalists from more than 1,000 applicants, as the country accelerates efforts to build a national base of artificial intelligence expertise across priority sectors.

A final group of 25 participants will be selected from these finalists to join the inaugural NEP-AI cohort.

Finalists represent all seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi (80) and Dubai (21) accounting for the majority, followed by Sharjah (14), Ras Al Khaimah (9), Ajman (6), Umm Al Quwain (3) and Fujairah (2).

The finalist pool is the most diverse in the programme’s history, bringing together professionals from government, industry, and specialised technical fields. The gender split stands at 52 women (38 percent) and 83 men (62 percent).

The selection also reflects a highly experienced pool with 44 percent of finalists having more than 10 years of experience, and 35 percent between 5 and 10 years, signalling a clear focus on professionals equipped to deploy AI at scale.

Academic profiles are equally strong, with 53 percent holding a Master’s degree, 24 percent a PhD/Doctorate, reflecting the growing depth of advanced technical expertise among Emirati professionals.

The majority of finalists are drawn from the public sector (98 finalists), with 37 from the private sector, aligning with the UAE’s strategy of embedding AI capabilities within government systems while maintaining cross-sector integration.

Several of the shortlisted candidates have proposed sector-specific, implementation-driven ideas, which are expected to form the basis of capstone projects developed from the start of the programme.

The scale and quality of the applicant pool underscore the growing pull of the National Experts Programme as a platform for developing high-impact national talent in advanced technologies.

The inaugural NEP-AI cohort is expected to be announced in June 2026.