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UAE Minister of Economy, Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, urged residents and investors to disregard circulating social media videos falsely claiming he recommends investing in specific shares.
“You might have seen videos suggesting I invest in certain shares or promote investment programs. I’ve never done that. Please note, I will never endorse such investments. These are deepfakes,” Al Marri stated during a Q&A at Gitex Global 2025.
He humorously added, “We need technology to detect deepfakes to protect me, but more importantly, to safeguard our identity as humans.”
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“I urge everyone, including the UAE Cyber Security Council, to explore ways to protect our digital identities amid the AI race.”
“Again, any videos claiming otherwise are not me. They are deepfakes. I will never promote investments in specific shares,” he reaffirmed in response to Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of Cybersecurity at the UAE Government.
Deepfake technology uses AI to create realistic fake images, sounds, and videos.
Similar deepfake videos of top government officials urging investments are circulating online. UAE authorities regularly advise sourcing information from official channels to avoid such misinformation.
80% Non-Oil Economy in 5 Years
Al Marri noted that after Covid-19 and global conflicts, the economy is experiencing “a bit of peace,” but now faces challenges from the AI race and talent acquisition.
“This isn’t a race against other countries; it’s a self-race.
Five years ago, our economy was 69% non-oil post-Covid; today, it’s 77.3%. We aim for 80% non-oil in the next five years,” he stated.
Emphasizing AI’s significance, Al Marri mentioned that countries must allocate budgets for AI, much like defense and cybersecurity.
“AI is a sovereignty issue for every nation. This race is internal—building infrastructure, nurturing talent, aligning strategies, and growing SMEs,” he said on Gitex Global 2025’s opening day.
He highlighted the UAE’s initiatives like 10-year residency visas, AI universities, and firms like G42 to attract and develop talent.
He stressed the need for top talent, saying, “Great ideas require the right talent to bring them to life. Technology alone isn’t enough; people drive technological progress.”
