The United Arab Emirates (UAE), through its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, has set an ambitious vision: to become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2031. Within this vision, AI is positioned as a powerful tool to enhance healthcare services by improving disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Achieving such ambitions requires careful preparation. Preparation lays the foundation for meaningful and sustainable progress. This raises an important question: how prepared is the healthcare sector in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) to effectively, safely, and ethically leverage AI? And what does this readiness look like?
This is not to say RAK has to wait until it is fully prepared before adopting AI in healthcare. As the saying goes, preparedness is not a destination but a continuous journey. However, when AI is introduced with a clear understanding of the local context, chances of achieving meaningful and lasting impact increase significantly. It is against this backdrop that I am conducting a readiness assessment of RAK’s healthcare sector for AI.
The findings from this study have the potential to inform the emirate’s policy approach to AI in healthcare. To guide this assessment, I adapted a readiness assessment toolkit developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The PAHO/WHO toolkit provides a structured framework for evaluating a country’s readiness to implement AI initiatives in healthcare. It identifies several key areas as necessary to gauge the level of readiness:
The data collection process has taken me from hospital hallways to executive lounges, where I have engaged with healthcare workers and institutional leaders identified as key stakeholders in RAK’s health sector. I have also spoken with members of the general public, arguably the most important stakeholders of all. Many respondents expressed cautious optimism, noting that AI could improve access to care, but only if it did not replace the human element in healthcare. Preliminary findings suggest that AI innovation has taken root across various sectors in RAK, albeit mostly in pilot, exploratory, or early stages.
There is also documented evidence of ongoing AI training and upskilling initiatives in the emirate. One such initiative is the Certified Artificial Intelligence Practitioner Programme, which aims to equip Emirati job seekers and recent graduates with skills in AI, machine learning, and data analytics. These efforts serve as positive indicators of readiness for AI deployment in healthcare, as they help increase public familiarity with emerging technologies. Another strong contributor to AI readiness in healthcare is the presence of an Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence Center at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah. This offers a backbone that the healthcare sector could potentially leverage in its AI journey.
So how ready is RAK to effectively deploy AI in healthcare? At this stage, the full picture is still emerging. Data collection is ongoing, and as with any health check, it is best to review all the results before offering a diagnosis or recommending treatment. That said, readiness is not always demonstrated through infrastructure or technology alone. In many cases, it is reflected in thoughtful conversations and strategic planning on how AI can be integrated into healthcare. Such discussions may, in fact, be a stronger indicator of readiness than simply having AI systems purchased out of excitement or fear of missing out.