Based on its key role in enabling digital transformation in the UAE, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has unveiled the second phase of the "U Ask" platform, the virtual assistant available on the unified digital portal U.ae.

In this phase, the implementation of generative AI is extended to government portals in alignment with the updated version of the Unified Design Language System (DLS).

This development follows the remarkable success of the "U Ask" platform on U.ae, where it played a significant role in enhancing the overall user experience, and providing users with prompt and precise information regarding government services and policies in the UAE.

Majed Sutaln Al Mesmar, TDRA Director-General, emphasised the significance of leveraging the expansive opportunities offered by generative AI to enhance government services.

He said, “The utilisation of artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, presents a significant opportunity to enhance efficiency in government operations. This, in turn, contributes to elevating customer satisfaction in alignment with the directives of our wise leadership, where placing the customer at the forefront is a top priority. TDRA has been a pioneer in implementing this technology, and we are committed to extending this experience. This aligns with our strategic role as enabler of digital transformation and a supporter of government entities in adopting the highest standards of digital maturity.”

Al Mesmar added, “We thank the government entities collaborating with TDRA in adopting cutting-edge technologies, such as generative AI. We reiterate our readiness and eagerness to consistently collaborate with them to realise the 'We the UAE 2031' vision, which stipulates the establishment of Forward Ecosystem, and in line with the wise leadership directives that people’s happiness is the central emphasis of governmental efforts.”

The integration aligns seamlessly with DLS 2.0, serving as a comprehensive framework for all federal government entities to plan and organise content efficiently on their websites. This ensures consistency, optimisation, and accessibility across the entire spectrum of federal government websites. With this integration, federal government entities can leverage U Ask to add an extra layer of innovation to their portals, providing customers with a more engaging and efficient user experience.

Mohammad Al Zarooni, TDRA Deputy Director-General for Information and Digital Government Sector, said, “U Ask uses generative AI and answers questions related to government services in a conversational form, allowing seamless integration on any government portal using the DLS version 2.0. It leverages the capabilities of the AI stack on FEDnet Sovereign Cloud. U Ask has effectively instigated a positive transformation in how users engage with the official portal of the UAE Government (U.ae). It is anticipated that this positive impact will extend to users of other government websites.”

U Ask supports multilingual conversations with over 57 languages, fostering inclusivity and accessibility. Users can effortlessly engage in conversations with U Ask in their preferred language by either typing or using voice commands. The ability to use voice commands add a layer of convenience and accessibility for a hands-free and natural engagement experience.

The "U Ask" platform on every government website provides answers to questions for which answers are available on the respective website, pertaining solely to the information accessible within it. It does not just answer queries; it anticipates user needs, providing intelligent suggestions for the questions that may follow, making interactions more intuitive, efficient, conversational and user-friendly.

U Ask won Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards for Governments 2023. The award recognises governmental initiatives that make innovative use of data and emerging technologies to advance tangibly their digital government ambitions at the local and regional levels.