UAE Bans AI Misuse Of National Symbols, Public Figures Without Approval

Using generative artificial intelligence or similar technologies to depict national symbols or public figures without getting an approval is prohibited by law, the UAE Media Council reaffirmed on Thursday.

The Council warned that the use of AI technologies to spread misinformation, promote hate speech, defame others, undermine their dignity and reputation, or harm the values and principles of society is considered a media violation subject to the provisions of the Media Violations Regulation, including fines and administrative penalties.

It called on all social media users, media institutions, and content creators to fully comply with approved laws and standards, and to uphold professional and ethical responsibility.

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Recently, a social media post depicting an AI generated image of the user with UAE's founding father Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan was met with criticisms. Other users critiqued the original poster, saying that using AI to show the founding father alongside her was“distasteful” and“unnecessary”.

The UAE maintains strict media regulations to curb the spread of misinformation and online bullying, while reinforcing cohesion and coexistence in line with the country's policy of tolerance. Article 1(17) of the Federal Decree Concerning Media Regulation requires all forms of media to respect the state's symbols, cultural heritage, and national identity, among other provisions. Similarly, the official UAE Charter for Responsible and Ethical Use of AI, issued in June 2024, underscores the importance of applying AI responsibly.

Back in May of this year, the UAE Media Council and Presight, a global big data company powered by AI, signed a contract for a new regulatory platform. It will use AI capabilities that will supposedly sift through media content to analyse and validate it to ensure it aligns with UAE laws, values, and standards, before falling into the public's hands. According to the Media Council, the app will“aggregate disparate datasets from agencies and licensing bodies across the media ecosystem, providing access to a centralized, AI-enabled capability to make data-driven decisions efficiently and ethically. It offers advanced tools for searching, analyzing, filtering, and collaboration in real time.”

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