AI Boosts UAE Doctors and Teachers, But Cybersecurity Must Keep Pace

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare and education necessitates robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information, experts have cautioned. The UAE is actively expanding AI adoption across vital services as part of a broader technological development initiative. Abu Dhabi's government digital strategy for 2025-2027 is supported by Dh13 billion ($3.54 billion), and the Ministry of Education has established an AI literacy framework for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. In May, the UAE Cabinet also endorsed a national policy to advance digital healthcare and AI, which includes enhancing medical systems and preparing healthcare professionals for AI integration. However, the sharing of personal data, patient records, and financial details with AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude poses potential risks. Nisha Sanghani, partner and head of Middle East at Ashurst Perkins Coie Risk Advisory, emphasized that the rapid adoption of AI must be matched by substantial cybersecurity investments to protect sensitive data and to educate users on avoiding breach risks. "As adoption accelerates, safety, governance and accountability need to advance at the same pace as innovation – particularly where AI may influence decisions about a person’s health, development or future," Ms. Sanghani stated. "In health care and education, the measure of AI success cannot simply be how quickly we adopt it, but whether it delivers better outcomes that people can trust." Ms. Sanghani highlighted that the transition from experimental AI to everyday services amplifies the need for oversight, presenting the UAE with an opportunity to showcase responsible, large-scale AI implementation. "For organisations operating here in the UAE, the question is moving beyond ‘where can we use AI?’ to ‘where can AI genuinely create better outcomes, and what needs to be true for us to trust it?" Nalla Karunanithy, chief executive of digital health and e-commerce at Aster DM Healthcare, shared that the organization is utilizing AI to assist radiologists in interpreting X-rays, measure cardiac MRI scans, and support the early detection of coronary artery disease. This application saves valuable time for doctors, allowing them to focus on critical judgment, as Mr. Karunanithy explained: "The AI detects, measures or flags; the clinician interprets, decides and signs." He also noted that healthcare providers must meticulously control access to medical information and its subsequent use as AI becomes more prevalent. Aster ensures patient information is stored within the UAE and rigorously assesses each AI system before granting access, with testing conducted without real patient data and only approved systems receiving necessary information. "Our group AI governance policy prohibits external providers from using patient information to train their models or for any purpose beyond the approved scope," he added. Ahmed Hafez, director of solution engineering for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at data company Snowflake, mentioned that UAE healthcare provider NMC Healthcare is centralizing information across its 70 centers to enhance understanding of hospital operations and support point-of-care decisions. Vladislav Tushkanov, research and development group manager at cybersecurity company Kaspersky, stressed the importance of protecting personal data at the AI Everything summit in Abu Dhabi. "We need to understand how we educate our workforce, how we make them understand that it's OK to use the internal AI systems to process information, but you cannot send personally identifiable information in the cloud," he advised. Aster has reportedly rejected AI solutions that did not meet its data residency requirements, mandating staff to use approved enterprise tools overseen by its AI Centre of Excellence. Last year, hackers claimed responsibility for a significant data breach at American Hospital in Dubai, allegedly obtaining 450 million patient records. The hospital had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. Despite these potential risks, Costi Perricos, Deloitte’s global generative AI leader, believes organizations should not shy away from AI adoption. "You shouldn't turn away just because we need to be more careful about this," he stated, highlighting the Middle East's potential to lead in AI development due to its capital, technology access, and openness to innovation. Mr. Perricos also pointed out that implementing AI tools is only part of the process, with employee preparation for job role changes being equally crucial. Bikram Mukhi, chief strategy officer at Soika Labs, underscored the continued importance of human oversight, especially in education. "We live in very interesting times where technology is moving faster than the rate of adoption." He added that users must recognize the evolving nature of AI and its potential for new risks, while governments and regulated businesses seek greater control over AI systems' information and infrastructure. "AI just can't be just deployed across the board," commented Shadi Hatoum, regional manager for the Middle East and Africa at data platform company Tealium, noting that different applications necessitate distinct standards and success metrics.