Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
As the UAE accelerates investment in smart cities, the spotlight is now on execution. The focus has now shifted from long-term ambition to near-term execution, as frameworks like Vision 2031 begin delivering tangible outcomes.
Experts say that advanced technologies such as digital twins, sovereign data infrastructure, AI-powered services and evolving delivery models are no longer supporting elements - they are now the foundation of the country's urban future, all working to redefine how cities function and how people experience them.
AI and Data Infrastructure Power Smart Cities
Hasan Iftikhar, Partner at Deloitte Consulting, says the global race is now about technological edge.
"The competitive landscape of nations has pivoted towards technological superiority, and it presents a new growth avenue for technology ecosystems," he told Aletihad.
This shift is fundamentally altering urban design, as "smart nation agendas have increased the focus on emerging technology investments and digital economy enablement, which reshapes the future urban living trends as well as their national success criterion."
According to Iftikhar, development is converging around five key domains: environmental sustainability, intelligent mobility, human wellbeing, circular and digital economic flows, and safety.
These priorities are unified by a design philosophy grounded in the principles of regeneration, human-centred design, and innovation, which he says "underpin the success factors that drive national smart living metrics".
Delivering such ambitions demands more than vision. It requires both capital and innovation in funding models, but above all, it requires data.
"AI, digital twins, and sovereign data infrastructure are highly interdependent in terms of creating impactful outcomes," Iftikhar noted, stressing that strong data-sharing practices and national data sovereignty are foundational to cross-sector smart service delivery.
He highlighted the UAE's Stargate initiative as one of the examples that are "spearheading the region's data and AI hub trajectory", supported by advantages in power, land, connectivity, and talent.
Digital twins, in particular, are becoming essential tools. They not only support the development of cognitive urban systems but also bridge data across sectors to create seamless, human-focused city experiences.
"[Digital twins] form an essential part of building cognitive capabilities in city services that cut across traditional sector boundaries... They deliver a human-centred experience, elevating national-level design capability."
Iftikhar observed that "87% of cities globally are piloting or planning GenAI services", a share that strongly demonstrates the scale of this transformation.
Yet despite the progress, he explained that tracking impact remains difficult as outcomes often resist clear alignment with traditional KPIs. Instead, new indicators, such as ICT's contribution to GDP or the number of ICT jobs created, are now gaining traction, alongside international benchmarks like the IMD Smart City Index, he added.
In Iftikhar's view, the UAE's frameworks are already producing results, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai ranking among the top five cities in the IMD Smart City Index and the UAE ranking 11th on the UN Sustainable Development Index.
He attributed much of that success to the "We the UAE 2031" vision, which places great importance on "human development and quality of life, which guide today's technology investments."
These achievements are supported by Abu Dhabi's position as the "capital of sovereign wealth funds," with entities such as ADIA, Mubadala, and ADQ managing nearly $1.7 trillion in assets. Iftikhar said that these entities' dual strategy of nurturing homegrown startups through platforms like Hub71 and making strategic global investments is accelerating innovation across the ecosystem.
Infrastructure Delivery Models Key to Success
While technology sets the direction, infrastructure delivery determines the pace and quality of execution. Kamal Dubey, Commercial Director at EllisDon, highlighted how traditional infrastructure models are being adapted to meet new demands.
"Several delivery approaches that were previously dormant are now being actively utilised," Dubey told Aletihad.
"The shift is not just about introducing new models, but activating existing ones to match the scale, complexity, and accelerated timelines of current programmes."
With major national projects facing compressed timelines, design-and-build contracts are increasingly preferred over traditional sequential models.
"Where delivery time must be expedited, employers have shifted toward design and build contracts... The traditional process can take eight to nine months before construction even begins, so design and build have become more practical," Dubey explained.
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are also becoming foundational. Key examples the expert highlighted include the TAWILA water projects, toll systems, and the Zayed City Schools project, which was delivered in 2024 as the UAE's first education sector PPP. The same model has been applied in energy efficiency, such as the Abu Dhabi LED Road Lighting Phase 2, completed under a 12-year concession.
To streamline delivery across large-scale portfolios, governments are now embracing framework agreements, Dubey explained, pointing to a landmark Dh30 billion agreement between the Abu Dhabi government and Aldar, appointing the developer as a strategic delivery partner for capital projects.
Looking ahead to 2026, Dubey believes the most meaningful transformation will be structural and institutional, rather than just technological.
"Success will be defined by maturity; clear authority, integrated governance, disciplined digital use, and balanced leadership."
