The United Arab Emirates will now impart knowledge of Artificial Intelligence to children as young as five, following the latest decision by the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as part of the nation's commitment to AI.

AI will be introduced as a subject across all stages of government education in the UAE, starting academic year 2025-2026 – the Ministry of Education (MoE) confirmed. 

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed shared on X.com: “As part of the UAE’s long-term plans to prepare future generations for a different future, a new world, and advanced skills, the UAE government today approved the final curriculum to introduce “Artificial Intelligence” as a subject across all stages of government education in the UAE, from kindergarten to grade 12, starting from the next academic year.

He added: “We appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Education in developing a comprehensive curriculum, affirming that artificial intelligence will transform the way the world lives.”

“Our goal is to teach our children a deep understanding of AI from a technical perspective, while also fostering their awareness of the ethics of this new technology, enhancing their understanding of its data, algorithms, applications, risks, and its connection to society and life.”

This initiative is part of the UAE’s focus on empowering youth to adapt to evolving global trends and drive innovation. Dubai Ruler underscored: “Our responsibility is to equip our children for a time unlike ours, with conditions different from ours, and with new skills and capabilities that ensure the continued momentum of development and progress in our nation for decades to come,”

Now, the UAE becomes one of the first countries to introduce AI in school curricula, in an effort to become a global leader in AI and digital transformation.

The initiative will be implemented through a collaborative effort by G42’s Presight, AI71, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and Emirates College for Advanced Education. It aims to accelerate tech adoption in education to support the UAE’s vision of investing in people and creating a future-ready education system that drives sustainable national development.

H.E. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, underlined: “Introducing AI ​​across all public school levels is a strategic step that modernises teaching tools and supports a generation of young people who understand tech ethics and can create smart, locally relevant solutions to future challenges.”

Adding: “The integration of AI into classrooms reflects the UAE Government’s future-focused vision, reinforcing its global leadership in innovation- and tech-driven education and supporting its goal of building a knowledge-based society and a competitive digital economy led by skilled national talent.”

What will the subject cover? 

The AI subject will cover key areas including, foundational concepts, data and algorithms, software use, ethical awareness, real-world applications, innovation and project design, and policies and community engagement. It will educate the school goers with the “knowledge and skills appropriate for each academic level, ensuring all public school graduates are well-versed in AI fundamentals and able to apply them in everyday life.”

The subject curriculum, which is customised for each age group right from kindergarten, will have:

• Leaners engaging in visual and interactive activities to discover AI and other digital technologies through stories and play.
• In Cycle 1, students compare machines to humans, develop digital thinking skills, and explore AI applications. 
• In Cycle 2, students design and evaluate AI systems, learn about bias and algorithms, and focus on ethical AI use. 
• In Cycle 3, it prepares students for higher education and careers by teaching command engineering and simulating real-world scenarios.

AI will be taught by specially assigned teachers as part of the Computing, Creative Design, and Innovation subject. To support them, the Ministry of Education will provide clear teaching guides, hands-on activities, and flexible lesson plans that can be adapted to different classroom needs.

The UAE is already one of the leading countries when it comes to understanding, adopting, and using AI responsibly. A recent study shows that while many students are using AI and seeing its benefits, there’s also a growing concern. Some are relying on it too much or using it in ways that aren’t appropriate, leading to mixed results in their learning.

But there’s a big gap, as schools aren’t fully keeping up, and many educators haven’t yet received the training, tools, or clear guidelines they need to help students use AI in a smart and responsible way.

This gap could affect how well students build critical skills, how fair assessments are done, and how ready they are for the jobs of the future.

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As the new AI curriculum is being introduced in the early learning years—fitting right into existing schedules without needing extra hours—the nation is preparing a workforce ready to take on this evolving world.