Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Enmaeya News) — Dubai Digital has introduced a new way to connect with the community by unveiling the UAE’s first virtual family powered by artificial intelligence. This initiative, part of the "Year of the Community," blends technology with a human touch to deliver government messages more effectively.
The first character—a young girl dressed in traditional Emirati attire and speaking in a familiar local dialect—was revealed in a short video shared on social media. The public was invited to help name her, choosing from "Dubai," "Mira," or "Latifa," showing the project’s interactive nature from the start.
The plan is to expand this digital family to include a father, mother, and brother. Together, these virtual characters will simplify government services and explain artificial intelligence concepts in an engaging and educational manner.
While not the world’s first project of this kind, Dubai’s approach stands out for its cultural relevance and community focus. Ahmed Al-Zaghlami, an AI and technology expert, told An-Nahar that Dubai’s effort aligns with the UAE’s goal to rank among the top 10 smart governments globally by 2031. He noted that unlike many global projects, which emphasize technical features, Dubai integrates social values at its core.
Al-Zaghlami explained that other virtual characters abroad, such as Japan’s "Azumi Ai" and South Korea’s "Zaein," either offer limited language support or focus on entertainment without community engagement. Dubai’s characters speak 90% in Emirati dialect, compared to 40% in Saudi Arabia’s similar project "Maysaa." A survey showed 75% of users feel represented by these digital personas.
Despite a 12 million dirham budget, the project saves government staff up to 30% of their time through automated smart replies. Educationally, the character uses the Falcon 180B AI model, with 85% of its interactions designed as educational games—a higher rate than India’s "Soma" project, which uses 50%.
The project also boosted the "Diwani" app’s family user rate by 40% during testing, reshaping how technology fits into family life. Looking ahead, Al-Zaghlami said Dubai goes beyond other cities like Singapore and London by embedding Emirati cultural identity directly into AI systems.
He emphasized that these digital figures are more than just visuals—they serve as practical tools to improve digital life quality while maintaining transparency under the UAE’s AI data laws.
In this way, Dubai uses technology to connect people with services, bridging culture, family, and the future through artificial intelligence.
Source: Annahar Newspaper
