The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Sustainability: The Case of UAE Smart Cities

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the case of the UAE smart cities with specific focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) was used in enhancing the achievement of sustainability in the UAE. The research narrowed down to investigate sustainability from the lens of the socio-economic sustainable development goals of the UAE as per the UN sustainable goals objectives 2015.

The research adopted a quantitative methodological framework to rigorously examine the subject matter above. A survey was developed and distributed to 300 practitioners in AI, smart cities, and sustainable development programs across the UAE (mainly, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah). The research noted that environmental factors of AI application in UAE smart cities such as infrastructure readiness, stakeholder readiness and regulatory environment, strongly impacted the smart cities development in the UAE which in turn led to the attainment of socio-economic sustainable development goals. Implicatively, the research suggests the need for the development of a strategic roadmap for the adoption, usage, and implementation of AI in UAE smart cities to facilitate socio-economic sustainability through achievement of socio-economic sustainable development goals. The research novelty lies in bridging the paucity in literature regarding the use of AI in smart cities and its role in promoting sustainability; by establishing the connection between AI, smart cities and socio-economic sustainable development goals.