What happened
The United Arab Emirates, through Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced the “One Million Lebanese AI Experts” initiative. The programme, part of the UAE’s government experience‑exchange scheme, will deliver training in and prompt‑engineering to one million Lebanese participants. It was unveiled on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, with officials emphasizing the need for AI skills, human‑rights‑focused governance, and economic reform.
During a side meeting at the UN General Assembly, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced the launch of the One Million Lebanese AI Experts initiative.
The programme is structured under the UAE’s government experience‑exchange programme and will provide training focused on technologies and prompt‑engineering techniques, aiming to equip participants with practical skills for everyday work and personal use of AI tools.
Officials highlighted that the AI revolution offers unprecedented opportunities for economic and social progress, while also raising challenges related to employment, human rights, and privacy. The initiative is presented as part of Lebanon’s broader effort to strengthen state institutions and pursue reforms amid ongoing crises.
No specific details on curriculum providers, funding amounts, or enrollment procedures were disclosed in the article, leaving the implementation plan largely undefined.
Source details: thenationalnews.com
Why it matters
The initiative represents a large‑scale public‑sector effort to build AI capacity in a country facing economic hardship and institutional weakness. By targeting a million learners, the programme could significantly raise digital literacy, improve workforce readiness, and enable broader adoption of AI tools across Lebanese businesses and public services. The focus on and aligns with global trends where such skills are increasingly required for effective use of large‑language models. Moreover, the joint announcement underscores a diplomatic dimension, signalling deeper UAE‑Lebanon cooperation in technology and positioning the region as an emerging hub for AI talent development. However, the impact will depend on the quality of the curriculum, delivery mechanisms, and whether participants can access the necessary computational resources.
Building AI expertise at scale can help Lebanon address its chronic unemployment and stimulate innovation in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education, where AI adoption can improve efficiency and service delivery.
The partnership signals a strategic alignment between the UAE and Lebanon, potentially attracting further investment and technical assistance from Gulf states to the Levant region.
Emphasizing and reflects the current industry focus on large‑language models, ensuring that trainees learn skills directly applicable to the most widely used AI systems today.
The initiative’s public‑sector framing raises questions about data governance, especially given the Prime Minister’s remarks on safeguarding human rights and privacy in AI deployment.
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What to watch next
Key indicators to monitor include the rollout timeline, the curriculum providers, funding mechanisms, and any partnerships with AI firms that may supply tools or platforms. Follow‑up statements from the UAE and Lebanese ministries will reveal whether the training will be delivered online, in‑person, or through a hybrid model, and whether scholarships or subsidies are offered. Additionally, watch for metrics on enrollment numbers, completion rates, and subsequent employment outcomes, as well as any policy frameworks introduced to safeguard data privacy and human‑rights considerations in AI use.
The selection of training platforms and whether they will be open‑source or commercial solutions, which will affect accessibility and cost for participants.
Potential collaborations with AI vendors or academic institutions that could provide curriculum content, certification, or mentorship.
Metrics released by the UAE and Lebanese governments on enrollment milestones, completion rates, and downstream employment or entrepreneurship outcomes.
Any regulatory or policy measures introduced alongside the training to address data protection, , and ethical AI use.