The Abu Dhabi Government and OpenAI have launched a Machine-Readable Government (MRG) initiative aimed at converting government policies and regulations into formats that artificial intelligence systems can interpret and apply to routine administrative processes.
The initiative is part of Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become the world’s first AI-native government by 2027. It is designed to help government departments process routine regulatory applications, including permits and certificates, by assessing submissions against existing rules.
Led by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Government Enablement (DGE), the programme will convert written policies and regulations into structured, machine-readable formats. AI-powered systems can then assess applications against the relevant requirements and generate outcomes linked to the specific regulatory provisions used in each assessment.
The approach is intended to reduce the time required to process routine applications, improve consistency and make regulatory assessments more traceable. Processes that previously required days of manual review could be completed within minutes, with systems operating around the clock.
The initiative does not transfer final government decision-making authority to AI systems. Officials will continue to oversee the process, review complex cases and remain accountable for final decisions. The framework is also not intended for autonomous decisions in high-stakes areas or matters that directly affect individuals’ rights and access to essential services.
The first pilot is already in production at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), focusing on food imports. The project is being developed in collaboration with Inception42, a G42 company. Its Policy Adoption Engine converts written government policies into automated compliance checks, with each assessment linked to the specific rule behind the outcome.
Abu Dhabi plans to extend the framework to other government functions, including construction permits, business and freelance licensing, data access governance, human resources compliance and procurement.
The system will use OpenAI’s UAE inference residency infrastructure, with real-time AI processing taking place on GPUs located in UAE data centres. The deployment will operate under UAE cybersecurity standards and Abu Dhabi law.
The government will retain ownership of data generated through the system. According to the announced safeguards, this information will not be used to train AI models, while rules will govern its storage, use and deletion.
The initiative forms part of the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025–2027, which has a budget of AED 13 billion, equivalent to approximately $3.5 billion. The strategy also includes the wider adoption of digital services and AI across government departments.
The Machine-Readable Government programme is intended to create a common framework for applying AI to regulatory and administrative processes, while keeping human oversight and accountability in place.
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