The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the launch of a unified digital platform, Factory Forward UAE that will expedite the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies by the country’s manufacturers.
The newly developed portal was introduced by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, which has brought together a number of industrial technology programs that have been providing support to over 700 factories across the nation.
The new platform is expected to provide manufacturers with access to technology assessments, advisory services, and financing solutions to identify gaps and leverage opportunities for embracing new technologies.
In addition, Factory Forward UAE was built upon the Ministry’s Industrial Technology Transformation Index, which has already completed technology transformation assessments of more than 620 factories.
At its core, Factory Forward links manufacturers with three categories of partners: technology providers who assess operational maturity and recommend upgrades, enablement partners offering training and specialist advice, and financing partners who help secure funding for technology projects.
The platform will also showcase real-world case studies of factories that have successfully modernised, giving businesses practical benchmarks rather than theoretical guidance.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said the initiative reflects the UAE’s broader push to build a competitive industrial base through investment in people, skills and technology integration across supply chains.
He noted the ministry would continue partnering with stakeholders to help factories deploy advanced tools, including AI, to boost productivity and efficiency.
The platform falls under the umbrella of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, alongside the wider Make it in the Emirates initiative, both of which aim to position the UAE as a global hub for industrial investment.
Officials said the goal extends beyond individual factory upgrades — wider adoption of Industry 4.0 tools is expected to strengthen supply chain resilience, sharpen responsiveness to market shifts, and improve competitiveness in both domestic and export markets.
The move comes as the UAE continues to diversify its economy away from oil dependence, with manufacturing identified as a key pillar of long-term growth.
By centralising fragmented support programmes into one platform, authorities are betting that faster, more coordinated technology adoption will help local factories keep pace with global manufacturing trends increasingly shaped by automation and AI. Alawasat News
