Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
Seniors in the UAE are booking appointments, paying bills, and accessing government services from their smartphones, and all on their own.
For a generation that grew up in an era of snail mail and typewriters, today's digital environment may seem too foreign. But in conversations with Aletihad, older citizens say they navigate platforms with ease, thanks to the country's efforts to ensure rapid technology adoption does not leave them behind.
Khawlah Mohammad, 60, said government platforms have made the experience intuitive and reassuring.
"The platforms guide you step by step, eliminating the fear of making errors. I now feel comfortable completing my own applications without relying on assistance from family members," she told Aletihad.
Government platforms across the UAE have increasingly integrated artificial intelligence to help the public manage their personal affairs more easily and independently. The shift is designed to reduce the need for in-person visits to government offices, including Iskan, municipalities, and Tamm service centres.
Housing applications, municipal requests, and social support services can now be handled remotely, through interfaces built with voice support, intelligent guidance tools, and real-time updates.
For Abu Mohammad, 58, the difference is felt most in time saved.
"In the past, completing a basic request meant going to a service centre and waiting in a line. I can now handle the same procedures digitally in a matter of minutes, with step-by-step directions. It has made government services far more efficient and accessible," he said.
As technologies get smarter, the authorities make sure digital inclusion expands just as fast. The UAE has been investing not only in building accessible digital platforms but in preparing people to use them.
In November 2025, for example, the Ministry of Community Empowerment partnered with Google to hold a "Digital Culture for All" workshop, where senior citizens received hands-on training in digital tools and AI technologies. The goal is to help them integrate smart solutions into their daily lives, enhance communication, and foster self-reliance.
Free courses are also available online, explaining technologies in the simplest terms and connecting them to real-world situations.
For many seniors, that investment is now showing up in everyday routines. Umm Mohammad Alhosani, 62, said the ability to transact from home has eased how she moves from one to-do to another.
"Being able to complete all my federal transactions from home has really changed things for me. There is less need to travel and wait. I can now manage my affairs with more ease, privacy, and independence," she said.
