Image: Future Now – Factsheet from Dubai Government Media Office
Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Smart Dubai 2021 initiative on April 16, representing the next step in Dubai’s smart and sustainable development.
The five-year strategy covering the 2017-2021 period seeks the intelligent use of ICT to transform the city’s core components, which include the government, companies, society, individuals, resources, and infrastructure. The plan is to digitise 100%of government services and eliminate the need for physical visits to customer service centres.
The Crown Prince said, “The government of the future will set plans and strategies to ensure the best possible standard of living for people and to save them time and effort. In 2021, we will celebrate the very last paper transaction in Dubai, and Smart Dubai will see to it that we achieve this mission.”
Dubai Pulse
As part of the initiative, the ‘Dubai Pulse’ platform was launched to host all of the emirate’s data and form the backbone of its shift towards smart development. It will serve as a central platform for compilation of all data available to both the public and private sectors. It will provides access to live and up-to-date data about the city through an interactive dashboard. All government departments have been instructed to begin populating the platform with their data immediately.
The data is divided into three layers: the first layer data will be available free of charge to the public, the second offers a thorough analysis of the data (in exchange for a fee) to be used for academic, professional, commercial, and economic purposes. The third layer consists of data accessible exclusively to Dubai Government entities.
The platform will also utilise the potential of artificial intelligence to further the Happiness Agenda.
HH Sheikh Hamdan said, “Today, in the era of Big Data, it is essential to have a central platform to house all of the government’s data – a platform that taps into the potential of artificial intelligence to spread happiness among people. This is the only option for countries that want to remain relevant and build infrastructure that meets the needs of the future. This is why we launched ‘Dubai Pulse’.”
The Smart Dubai City strategy 2021 calls for a data-driven government, where data will be used as a strategic asset to the benefit of the public, as well as the government itself, as the Dubai Open Data Law increases operational efficiency by reducing data-access costs.
Assistant Director General of the Smart Dubai Office and CEO of Dubai Data Establishment HE Younis Al Nasser said described Dubai Pulse as a natural progression, following the launch of the Dubai Data Establishment.
The Dubai Data Establishment (In March 2016, a decree was issued to set up Dubai Data Establishment Law for the dissemination and exchange of data in Dubai) leads the Dubai Data initiative, decreed by the Dubai Data Law of 2015. The initiative is described as a comprehensive city-wide data initiative guiding the opening and sharing of city data across the public and private sector.
HE Al Nasser added, “Dubai Pulse will enhance operational efficiency by reducing data access costs. It will facilitate the exchange of open and common data between public and private institutions and individuals, which will eventually contribute to the complete digital transformation of the Emirate of Dubai. The platform will enhance our ability to innovate, in addition to ensuring the optimal use of data by aggregating it in a single platform, analysing it, using it to support and expedite decision-making.”