Abu Dhabi to Extend OpenAI-Built Policy Engine That Returns Compliance Checks in Minutes

The system converts a defined set of policies and regulations into formats that AI models can read and apply. Checks such as those behind permits and certificates can then run consistently around the clock, Lootah said, and each outcome can be traced to the rule it rests on. The tool will be connected to TAMM, Abu Dhabi's unified government services platform, which carries more than 1,200 public and private sector services.

Lootah said the step moves AI from improving procedures to developing the policies themselves. Applying AI only to existing procedures would deliver just part of Abu Dhabi's ambition, he said. The bigger challenge is making the rules that govern services machine-readable. Holding policies in one structured format also shows officials where rules from different departments overlap or conflict, and lets them test proposed amendments against related rules before they are adopted.

The first pilot was run with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority on food imports, with Inception42, part of G42, taking part. Lootah said the pilot proved a reusable "policy adoption engine" that turns written policies into automated compliance checks, so later services can build on it without starting from scratch each time.

The system assesses evidence against specific government requirements and links each recommendation to the policy behind it, he said. Its outputs can be repeated and audited, so specialists can check an assessment before the final decision is made. OpenAI supplies the technology within the government's framework, Inception42 supports implementation and launch, and the Abu Dhabi government keeps control of policy, data and governance.

Government teams set the criteria, review complex cases and carry full responsibility for every final decision, Lootah said. The system was not designed to make independent decisions in highly sensitive areas, or in cases that could materially affect a person's rights, eligibility or access to essential services.

Processing takes place in data centres inside the UAE under the law applicable in Abu Dhabi and UAE cybersecurity standards. The government keeps full ownership of its data, which is not used to train AI models. Lootah said this makes the UAE the first country in the Middle East to deploy OpenAI's GPT models on inference infrastructure inside its own borders.

Machine-Readable Government is a core part of the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, worth Dh13 billion ($3.5 billion). The emirate aims to become the world's first AI-native government. Lootah said more than 95 per cent of Abu Dhabi government employees have completed its comprehensive AI programmes, and AI use cases are now running across 40 government entities.

Lootah did not give accuracy figures from the food import pilot, the cost of the programme or dates for bringing permits, licensing and procurement onto the system.