Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa hosts 2nd Al Yalsa majlis in collaboration with Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairperson of Frontier25, The Climate Tribe, Aurora50, Alliances for Global Sustainability (AGS) and RESET MENA, has hosted the second Al Yalsa majlis, exploring how women can be equipped to participate confidently in an AI-driven future, in collaboration with the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE).

Al Yalsa is a series of monthly gatherings where women from across the UAE can meet to exchange ideas and explore solutions that are shaping the nation’s future, embracing themes aligned with the national agenda such as health, technology and innovation, sustainability and national identity.

At the heart of these meetings lie hospitality, generosity, and trust, and the opportunity for everyone present to respectfully discuss societal and cultural matters.

At the second majlis, attendees were asked the question: What would help you feel more confident using AI in your everyday life? Led by Her Excellency Dr Amna Al Mahri, Executive Director of GovTalent at DGE, the discussion explored practical ways women can use AI at home, in learning and at work, while protecting privacy and personal data.

Dr Amna emphasised that women do not need a technical background to begin: they can start with everyday needs, use AI to save time and strengthen their capabilities, and explore new entrepreneurial opportunities while keeping human judgement and decision-making at the centre.  

With insights from community voice, Moza Al Darmaki, Emirati artist, attendees discussed how they are using AI to support their families through education while learning more about its capabilities from younger generations, emphasising how schools are embracing the technology.

In the workplace, women are using AI to upskill themselves and transform their team competences. However, they expressed concern over data security and privacy and highlighted the importance of training in how to protect personal information.

While acknowledging that AI is a part of our lives now and that the UAE has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge tools, participants emphasised that it is vital to know when to use AI and when not to.

Human skills, knowledge, and development should not stall or reduce because of a reliance on AI, instead it should be used to add value and expand our abilities more efficiently.