The United Arab Emirates is pioneering a significant shift in governance by implementing AI to draft and update laws, a development that could dramatically reshape how legislation is created worldwide. While initially met with skepticism due to concerns about AI’s limitations in understanding justice and fairness, this initiative is part of the UAE’s $3 billion investment to become an “AI-native” government by 2027. This approach raises important questions about how artificial intelligence might transform governance—potentially making legislation more sophisticated and responsive, while also creating new risks for power concentration if not implemented with appropriate public input and oversight.
The big picture: The UAE’s announcement of using AI to help write laws represents a significant evolution in how governments approach legislation, promising to accelerate the process by up to 70%.
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum revealed that a new Regulatory Intelligence Office would use AI to “regularly suggest updates” to laws and create a “comprehensive legislative plan” across local and federal levels.
- The system would connect to public administration, courts, and global policy trends, establishing a more integrated approach to legislative development.
Not actually a first: Despite widespread reporting of the UAE’s initiative as unprecedented, AI has already influenced legislation in other parts of the world.
- Porto Alegre, Brazil passed what is believed to be the first AI-written law in 2023—a local ordinance about water meter replacement drafted with assistance from ChatGPT.
- The key difference with the Emirati proposal is its systematic approach rather than a one-off application, making it more consequential for governance.
Why this matters: AI in lawmaking raises concerns about power concentration while potentially offering increased legislative sophistication and efficiency.
- Rather than merely speeding up the process, AI’s most significant contribution could be making laws more complex and tailored to various scenarios.
- This capability creates opportunities for powerful interests to embed their preferences in ways that might be difficult for the public to identify or understand.
Public engagement potential: The UAE has promised to introduce AI “interactive platforms” where citizens can provide input to legislation.
- This element could be the most intriguing aspect of the initiative if implemented effectively, potentially democratizing the legislative process.
- The success of an AI-native government should ultimately be measured by how it empowers people rather than machines.
Bigger implications: The UAE’s experiment with AI-assisted lawmaking could serve as a model—or warning—for other governments considering similar initiatives.
- How the UAE balances efficiency with fairness, and technological sophistication with public input, will likely influence global perspectives on AI in governance.
- The initiative highlights a critical question facing all technological governance innovations: whether they serve to centralize or distribute power.
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