Dubai is putting artificial intelligence in the driver’s seat…literally.
The city’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched an ambitious Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2030, promising to cut travel time by up to 30% across the city’s streets. The announcement was made during the first-ever Dubai AI Week 2025.
The plan
RTA’s strategy outlines 81 AI-powered projects and initiatives set to roll out over the next five years. These span traffic signal optimization, intelligent pedestrian systems, predictive maintenance, and even AI-assisted driver assessments.
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“The strategy is designed to enhance human capital, build a connected AI ecosystem, and lead AI-driven transformation across RTA’s services,” said Mattar Al Tayer, RTA Director General.
The targets
- 20–30% reduction in travel time
- 25–40% boost in employee productivity
- 10–20% cut in operational costs
- 35% increase in customer happiness
- 30–50% improvement in partner compliance
Dubai is turning AI into a backbone of its transport infrastructure. From big data analytics to generative AI in its virtual assistant ‘Mahboub’, the city is building a future where traffic moves smarter, faster, and more sustainably.
The strategy ties into the UAE’s broader AI 2031 vision and builds on RTA’s existing data platforms, which already handle 670 terabytes of transport data and support 280+ data points across 49 systems.
Real-world AI in action
RTA has already deployed AI in over 40 use cases, including:
- Predictive bus maintenance
- Sentiment analysis of passenger feedback
- Forecasting parking demand
- Smart water and energy use on the Metro
Another 45 AI use cases are under study, including upgrades to Dubai’s public bus network and energy efficiency systems.
Dubai’s AI-driven traffic future is no longer futuristic and it’s unfolding now. If successful, your commute in the city could soon be shorter, smoother, and smarter.
