A UAE minister, Omar Sultan Al Olama, known as the world's first minister for artificial intelligence (AI), has earned a spot on Time magazine's inaugural list of the 100 most influential figures in AI. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, expressed pride in Al Olama's achievement, emphasizing the significance of Emirati excellence. Al Olama, who serves as the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, assumed this pioneering role in 2017 and expanded his responsibilities to include digital economy and remote work applications in July 2020. Time highlighted Al Olama's vision of comprehensive coordination across government bodies in the realm of AI, contrasting this with the global leaders in AI, including the US, the EU, and China, who have yet to follow the UAE's example.

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Time's list of the 100 most influential people in AI was compiled by soliciting nominations and recommendations from industry experts and leaders. The list features individuals from various backgrounds, including policy-makers, government officials, and influential figures in the AI field. Notable names on the list include Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Rumman Chowdhury, and Abeba Birhane. The youngest member is 18-year-old Sneha Revanur, leading Encode Justice, a youth-led movement advocating for ethical AI, while the oldest member is 76-year-old Geoffrey Hinton, who recently departed from his role at Google to address concerns about the technology he played a role in developing.

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