Sheikh Maktoum Directs FTA to Transform 50% of Government Sectors into Agentic AI Systems
Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), convened a meeting of the Authority’s Board of Directors. The session focused on the FTA’s strategic plans, accomplishments, and initiatives aimed at integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance operational efficiency, improve service quality, and evaluate their effects on institutional performance.
During the meeting, Sheikh Maktoum instructed the FTA to initiate preparations to align with the UAE Government’s new framework. This framework seeks to transition 50% of government sectors, services, and operations to self-executing and self-leading AI models, referred to as Agentic AI, within a two-year timeframe. This initiative is in accordance with the directives from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and was reiterated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The goal is to achieve a significant transformation in government efficiency, service quality, and transaction speed.
Review of Current Projects and Future Plans
The meeting also included a comprehensive review of ongoing projects, the FTA’s achievements, and future plans. Sheikh Maktoum emphasized the importance of the directives from the UAE leadership as a pivotal moment in the shift from digital services to autonomous systems. He noted that integrating AI models into government operations would foster a proactive ecosystem capable of making precise decisions rapidly across all financial management sectors.
Sheikh Maktoum elaborated on the new plans aimed at transforming the FTA’s operational processes through a lens of smart sustainability. This strategy is designed to empower national talent to concentrate on strategic planning, oversight, and innovation. The adopted government framework is intended to ensure the sustainability of the UAE’s financial performance while bolstering the resilience and competitiveness of the national economy in the face of global changes.
Commitment to Quality of Life
Sheikh Maktoum praised the FTA’s performance, particularly highlighting the tax refund service for newly constructed housing for citizens. He reaffirmed that the quality of life for Emiratis is the guiding principle for all development initiatives, reflecting the FTA’s commitment to realizing the leadership’s vision of prosperity, family cohesion, and social stability for the UAE populace.
The FTA’s report indicated that it has maintained strong performance across its sectors and services, including the VAT refund service for UAE nationals constructing new homes. This service continues to advance through the implementation of sophisticated digital systems, aligning with the leadership’s vision to foster a modern housing ecosystem for UAE nationals and ensure high standards of quality of life and well-being.
Financial Highlights and Tax Compliance
The report revealed that the FTA approved new refund applications from UAE nationals for VAT paid on residential construction, amounting to AED 128 million during February and March 2026. This figure represents a 24% increase compared to AED 103 million during the same period in 2025.
Additionally, the number of Corporate Tax registrants reached 743,000, while the Value Added Tax registrants totaled 587,000. The number of Excise Tax registrants stood at 1,787, and the number of tax agents reached 936.
The meeting also addressed the latest developments in the implementation of the Top-up Tax project under Pillar Two, along with the legislative, technical, and procedural measures for the e-invoicing project. This initiative, executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, aims to uphold high levels of tax compliance through secure and effective mechanisms, while further enhancing the customer experience.
Advancements in Digital Tax Systems
The report underscored the achievements of the integrated tax system and ongoing efforts for electronic integration between the FTA’s systems and relevant entities to streamline compliance processes. It reviewed performance indicators of EmaraTax, the digital tax services platform, which has seen a significant volume of transactions since its launch. This includes registrations, tax returns, refund requests, and payments via the Magnati payment gateway and GIBAN.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the latest advancements in the Digital Tax Stamps system for tobacco and tobacco products, detailing the outcomes of the initial implementation phases.
For further details, refer to the source: www.emirates247.com.
Read all the latest developments and breaking updates in the Latest News section.
Published on 2026-04-30 21:16:00 • By the Editorial Desk
