Latest edition of the event delves deeper into the application of AI in legislative processes

22 August 2024 - The General Secretariat of the Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai (SLC) successfully concluded its ‘Your Summer Legislation Boost 2024 Programme,’ themed ‘Navigating Future Technology: AI and Legislation’ today, Thursday, August 22, 2024, following a series of events held over the past six weeks.

The Programme featured multiple legal workshops and panel discussions on the role of modern technology, particularly AI, in legislation, alongside various external events and field visits. Moreover, the Programme provided an opportunity to invite a number of law students from universities across the UAE to take up summer internships at the Legislation Directorate, where they received training on drafting legislation, and on conducting legislative comparisons.

H.E. Ahmad Saeed bin Meshar, SLC Secretary General, stressed that this year’s Programme provided a platform to explore the potential of AI innovations in legislation and to discuss strategies for addressing the challenges and risks associated with AI misuse. The Programme’s agenda was packed with workshops and panel discussions covering various legal and regulatory aspects related to advanced technology.

Bin Meshar explained that the event aligned with the SLC’s commitment to enhancing legal knowledge and improving the flexibility and agility of the legislative system. He added, the event supported the UAE’s efforts to harness advanced technology in driving innovation across various sectors and preparing for a future where AI innovations become key enablers of economic growth.

The Programme featured a workshop titled ‘Legislation as a Pillar of Future Technology,’ presented by Dr. Najat Al Amri, Head of Infrastructure and Government Regulatory Legislation Section at the SLC. She discussed the importance of future technology for Dubai’s and the UAE’s growth, highlighting the legislative system’s role as a solid organisational foundation for the efficient and seamless leveraging of technology.

A workshop addressing the challenges and risks associated with the misuse of ‘Deepfake’ technology was facilitated by Bashayer Al Obeidli, Senior Legal Officer, and Shaikha Ali Al Hashmi, Information Systems Analyst. This workshop reviewed real-life cases involving the unscrupulous use of the deepfake technology, discussing the protections guaranteed by law and the best preventive strategies to mitigate such risks and ensure the security of personal and professional data.

During the workshop titled ‘Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare,’ Ameena Al Fadala, Senior Legal Officer at the SLC, elaborated on the significance of adopting an electronic healthcare system. The workshop highlighted the system's advantages and features, including digital innovations, technological applications, remote diagnosis and treatment solutions, and robotic medical services. Additionally, the workshop addressed the legal challenges associated with AI in healthcare, and explored strategies to foster innovative ideas and concepts for legislation development in the e-healthcare field.

In a workshop titled ‘Influence of Artificial Intelligence on the UAE Economy,’ Dr. Faisal Al Omari, Legal Advisor, discussed the UAE’s economic model, exploring the economic implications of AI. The workshop also emphasised the significance of AI in the context of the future national vision, highlighting both the challenges and the promising opportunities it presents in this field.

Nermine El Gebaly, Head of the Legal Translation Section, discussed the role of AI in legislative translation during a workshop titled ‘How AI Tools Have Enhanced Legislative Translation.’ El Gebaly examined prompt engineering and methods for leveraging AI tools to boost productivity and enhance quality of translated legislation.

The workshop ‘Addressing Potential Legal Challenges in Utilising Specific AI Systems,’ presented by Hessa Al Maoli, Head of the Economic and Social Legislation Section, and Rafeeah Al Owais, Senior Legal Officer, focused on the mechanisms for addressing the legal challenges associated with the use of AI systems and the importance of developing a well-defined legal framework in this context.

The Programme also featured a panel discussion titled ‘Legal Challenges in Using Artificial Intelligence,’ featuring Dr. Saood Al Mansoori, Director of the Legal Advice and Opinion Directorate; Hessa Al Maoli, Head of Economic and Social Legislation Section; and Omar Al Suwaidi, Director of the Legislative Audit Directorate. The panellists explored factors that would contribute to improving legislative processes in alignment with Dubai's future vision for AI.

As part of the third edition of the ‘Your Sumer Legislation Boost 2024 Programme’, and in coordination with the Dubai Future Foundation, an SLC delegation visited the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence to gain insights into significant advancements and AI applications in government services. The delegation explored ways to incorporate these technologies to enhance and advance legislative work, highlighting notable achievements of the Dubai government in this domain.

Dr. Najat Al Amri, Supervisor of ‘Your Summer Legislation Boost 2024 Programme’, emphasised the Programme's ongoing commitment to building on the achievements of its previous editions. This annual event continues to serve as a leading platform for raising awareness of various legal matters, with a particular emphasis on the role of modern technology in the legal and legislative fields, given the increasing significance of AI in enhancing operational efficiency and the overall quality of output across various sectors.