At this year’s Cultural Summit in Abu Dhabi, one of the most thought-provoking themes was the intersection of artificial intelligence and the cultural sector. As Business Development
Manager for Talents UAE, I left the summit reflecting on the opportunities and boundaries – AI presents for heritage and storytelling in our region.
AI is rapidly becoming a tool of efficiency across museums, archives, and cultural institutions. From automating cataloguing systems to creating immersive digital content, its role as a catalyst for transformation is undeniable. But while AI can support us in scaling operations or simulating historic experiences, it is not yet capable of carrying the soul of cultural work.
In the UAE, where cultural preservation is not just a responsibility but a national priority, we must be especially intentional about how AI is used. The work of safeguarding oral histories, interpreting traditions, and designing educational programs requires human sensitivity, lived experience, and ethical discernment. These are not elements that AI can replicate – at least not authentically.
At Talents UAE, we see AI as a valuable building block. It helps streamline processes, visualize proposals, and support audience engagement. But it is our team of researchers, educators, artists, and heritage experts who bring the substance. AI assists—it does not originate. It can structure, translate, and project, but not feel, contextualize, or represent communities in the way that human voices can.
As cultural institutions across the UAE continue to integrate AI into exhibitions, public programming, and visitor engagement strategies, we should keep asking the right questions: Who controls the narrative? What is the source of the data? Are we using AI to enrich the human experience, or to shortcut it?
The future is intelligent – but it should also remain intentional. In culture and heritage, AI has a role to play. Just not the lead role.
If you’d like to connect or discuss this further, feel free to reach out to me at sadafh@talentsuae.com.