UAE Introduces AI In K-12 School Curricula
The UAE has announced plans to introduce artificial intelligence as a subject in all government schools from kindergarten to grade 12, starting next year, with the aim of preparing students for a tech-driven future.
In a bold move that cements the UAE’s position as a global leader in future-ready education, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced that artificial intelligence (AI) will be introduced as a core subject in the national curriculum and will be taught across all stages of government education—from kindergarten through grade 12—starting the upcoming academic year, 2025/2026.
The initiative reflects the UAE’s long-term vision to prepare future generations for an AI-powered future, recognizing the technology as a transformative force that will shape societies, economies, and everyday life.
HH Sheikh Mohammed announced the decision in a post on X and LinkedIn after it was approved by the UAE cabinet, and HH praised the Ministry of Education for developing a comprehensive and forward-thinking curriculum. The decision makes the UAE one of the first countries to introduce AI into school curricula.
The newly approved program is designed to offer students a robust technical understanding of artificial intelligence, while also emphasizing critical thinking around its applications, ethics, data, algorithms, and potential risks. From their earliest years in school, students will be introduced to the technologies driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
“We aim to provide our children with a deep understanding of AI — not only its capabilities, but its impact on humanity and the ethical framework that must guide its development,” HH stated. “Our goal is to prepare them for a time unlike ours, with conditions different from ours,” he wrote in a post on X and LinkedIn.
The initiative will be carried out in partnership with the AI-driven big data analytics company Presight, a G42 company, the Advanced Technology and Research Council's (ATRC) applied research team dedicated to developing responsible AI solutions, AI71, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), and Emirates College for Advanced Education.
HE, Sarah Al Amiri, the Minister of Education, said, “Introducing AI across all public school levels is a strategic step that modernizes teaching tools and supports a generation of young people who understand tech ethics and can create smart, locally relevant solutions to future challenges. The integration of AI into classrooms reflects the UAE Government’s future-focused vision, reinforcing its global leadership in innovation- and tech-driven education and supporting its goal of building a knowledge-based society and a competitive digital economy led by skilled national talent.”
The curriculum will cover seven areas, including foundational concepts, data and algorithms, software use, ethical awareness, real-world applications, innovation and project design, and policies and community engagement. The curriculum aims to ensure that public school graduates across the UAE have a solid understanding of AI and are able to apply it in their lives.
The program is designed to provide students with age-appropriate education at each stage, and will be taught as part of the computing, creative design, and innovation subject, with the UAE's Ministry of Education providing guides, models, activities, and lesson plans for classrooms.
This announcement is another milestone in the UAE’s broader digital transformation strategy and aligns with national priorities such as the UAE Centennial 2071 and the National AI Strategy.
