The UAE is considered the most suitable environment in the world to experiment with breakthrough technologies

The Dubai Future Forum revealed an unprecedented global announcement, as the first e-commerce transaction was carried out through a smart agent powered by artificial intelligence in the world.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, confirmed that the UAE is the most appropriate environment globally to experiment with breakthrough technologies.

This came during the session “Leadership in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Global Transformations,” moderated by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, hosting Michael Maybach, CEO of MasterCard, who revealed the details of implementing the first e-commerce transaction via a smart agent powered by artificial intelligence in the world.

Miebach said: “We carried out the first complete purchase process through a smart agent… and it was completed in front of the audience with complete success.”

Miebach explained that MasterCard, in cooperation with Mondolin, succeeded this morning in implementing the first real transaction through a smart agent, where two tickets for a movie show were purchased through a smart conversation only, without the need to open websites, use search platforms, or enter a payment page.

Miebach said: “The user today is forced to search, then go to the site, then choose the goods, then pay… but now all of this is done within one conversation that relies on intelligence that understands your preferences, extracts your options, and completes the payment process within seconds.”

He added that the smart agent can – based on the preferences record – suggest a movie, determine the most appropriate time, choose the nearest hall, and then carry out the payment via a card stored in secure ways, noting that the process was carried out in front of the ministers and attendees “completely smoothly.”

He pointed out that this step “is the beginning of a transformation that will change the future of shopping, travel, and services,” but he warned of the necessity of building strict protection systems, saying:
“When artificial intelligence begins to make purchasing decisions on behalf of the user, security systems must be in place that prevent fraud and guarantee the consumer’s right when he says: I did not intend this transaction.”

He also focused on the importance of structured data, adding: “The biggest danger is not in artificial intelligence, but in not having structured data. If some countries become able to benefit from data and others are deprived, we will create a gap between the advanced digital world and the late digital world.”

For his part, Omar Sultan Al Olama stressed during the session that the Emirates is considered the most appropriate environment in the world to experiment with breakthrough technologies, saying: “In the Emirates, we do not ask: Why are we doing this? Rather, we ask: Why not try it? Because the future does not wait for anyone, but rather requires countries that come forward and take the initiative.”

He added: “Our mission is not only to adopt technology, but to ensure that it is safe, fair, and beneficial for every individual in society, and that it does not create a gap between those who have digital means and those who do not.”

He pointed to the sensitivity of the current stage, explaining: “The regulation of artificial intelligence must be intelligent and balanced; We protect people without stifling innovation. The world will not stop, the opportunities are great, and it is our duty to ensure that everyone benefits from them.”

The scientists touched on what will happen in the global labor market: “Many routine tasks will turn to automation, but thinking, creativity, human communication, and emotional intelligence will remain purely human spaces that artificial intelligence cannot replace.”

A global transformation that started from Dubai

The session concluded by noting that the launch of the first commercial transaction through a smart agent from Dubai reflects the country’s position as a global laboratory for innovation, and a model for how to integrate artificial intelligence with safety, responsibility, and advanced governance.

Miebach stressed that the experiment “will become one of the most important use cases in the coming years,” while the scientists stressed that the UAE “will remain a global center for experimenting and creating the future of artificial intelligence.”