Fatima Shama

A UAE-based AI ethicist pioneering ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence, shaping global policies on responsible tech development.

Fatima Shama is a UAE-based AI ethicist whose work has redefined how nations approach artificial intelligence governance. Born in Dubai in 1990, Shama co-founded AI Edge, a think tank developing ethical guidelines for AI deployment in the Middle East. In 2022, her research influenced the UAE’s National AI Ethics Framework, the first comprehensive policy in the Arab world addressing bias in facial recognition systems and algorithmic accountability.

Shama’s 2020 paper Algorithmic Justice in Islamic Contexts became a cornerstone for religiously informed tech ethics, proposing halal certification systems for AI tools. She advises the World Economic Forum’s Global AI Action Alliance and co-designed the Abu Dhabi Principles, a 2023 framework adopted by 15 nations to prevent AI-driven surveillance abuses.

Her 2024 TED Talk “How AI Can Uphold Human Rights” has garnered over 2 million views, emphasizing transparency in automated decision-making systems. Shama also leads Ethical AI Education Initiative, training 500+ Middle Eastern teachers annually to integrate AI ethics into STEM curricula. In 2025, she was appointed to the UN Global Compact board, making her the youngest member ever to address tech governance at the UN level.