SHARJAH, 9th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Sharjah Digital Department (SDD), in collaboration with PwC Academy Middle East, organised the “Executive Leadership in the Age of AI: From Strategy to Government Impact” workshop, bringing together 24 chief executives, directors-general and senior leaders from 21 government entities across Sharjah.
The workshop formed part of SDD’s efforts to strengthen leadership capabilities and advance data- and AI-driven transformation across Sharjah Government. It focused on helping leaders assess opportunities for emerging technologies and align them with government needs and priorities.
Participants also explored governance, accountability and human oversight in the design and implementation of technology-enabled solutions.
Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director-General of SDD, said successful AI adoption should be assessed against clear criteria, including its ability to address genuine needs and deliver measurable outcomes within defined governance and accountability frameworks.
He said government leaders must first identify the intended outcome, determine which tasks can be delegated to intelligent systems, define the limits of their authority and establish when human oversight is required before moving from pilot projects to wider deployment.
Sheikh Saud said, “Sharjah has begun building this pathway through an integrated approach. The adoption of the Sharjah Digital Transformation Strategy 2026–2028 marked an important step towards aligning priorities and strengthening government integration.”
He added that the Sharjah AI Assistant Programme is being developed through two parallel tracks: raising awareness and encouraging early practical adoption, and identifying priority use cases while assessing government entities’ readiness and developing governance frameworks for responsible and sustainable scaling.
“We are working with government entities to move beyond exploring the potential of artificial intelligence towards identifying opportunities that can deliver genuine value and testing them against clear governance criteria. This approach contributes to improving government performance and enhancing people’s experience,” he said.
The workshop provided leaders with a practical framework for evaluating AI opportunities based on clearly defined needs, expected value, technical readiness and governance requirements.
It also addressed principles governing AI systems, including clear responsibilities, appropriate levels of authority, controls over data access and use, and mechanisms for human oversight, while ensuring that accountability for decisions and outcomes remains with the relevant government entity.
The workshop forms part of SDD’s broader efforts to build sustainable government capabilities and promote the responsible and effective adoption of data and artificial intelligence across government operations.