As the UAE mandates AI education from the age of four, a broader question emerges: should blockchain and decentralized systems also be part of future-focused learning?
The rollout marks a bold shift in how early education is being reimagined – not just locally, but potentially as a model for other countries exploring how to equip the next generation for a digitally transformed world.
The country’s new directive is part of a long-term strategy to prepare future generations for a world defined by emerging technologies. It’s not just about coding or robotics – it’s about equipping children with the foundational skills to understand, interact with, and shape the digital systems that will define their lives.
The announcement was shared by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on X, where he described the goal as preparing generations for “a different future, a new world, and advanced skills.”
Blockchain, a new foundation for digital education
The announcement set off a wider conversation: what other technologies belong in a modern curriculum? The policy has ignited global interest, with technologists, investors, and educators weighing in on what this early emphasis on AI could mean for digital learning. Some argue blockchain – with its focus on transparency, ownership, and trust – should follow.
“This is a twenty-first century manifestation of what Sir Francis Bacon understood way back in the sixteenth century – ‘knowledge is power,’” James Saruchera, co-founder of Afrik, a blockchain-powered economic development platform, told The Crypto Radio.
Saruchera’s perspective links historical insight with contemporary tech priorities, underscoring how foundational understanding of these tools is becoming essential.
Among those advocating for early AI instruction is Arjun Prasad, Managing Partner at 50x Capital. “Early AI education is pivotal,” he stressed. “It prepares students by developing core skills like critical thinking, data literacy, and computational logic.”
Prasad, who also works on building AI foundation models at Ultrasafe AI, also believes blockchain literacy is an ultimate next step in the development of education in the UAE. “It is the natural follow-on, teaching kids how to secure, verify, and own their online presence,” he said.
He argues that while AI equips children to use technology, blockchain empowers them to take control of their digital identities. He noted that even young children can begin to grasp concepts “most adults grapple with,” like digital sovereignty, algorithmic trust, and data as property.
“They’ll navigate the web3 universe not as consumers, but as creators.”
Preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist
That vision is driving new approaches to education, especially as many future jobs don’t exist yet.
“Such early exposure makes students highly adaptable, which is key when, as Dell notes, many future jobs don’t exist yet,” Prasad highlighted. “They learn to approach new technologies with curiosity rather than fear, positioning them to thrive in emerging roles.”
Prasad pointed to emerging job titles like AI Empathy Trainer, Synthetic Media Editor, and Digital Memory Curator as examples of roles that will require a mix of technical knowledge, creativity, and ethical awareness.
“Early AI learning equips students with the foundational understanding to step into such new, specialized, and often interdisciplinary fields, becoming the innovators who can responsibly shape and deploy advanced technologies.”
Saruchera suggested integrating AI into STEM, where students have an AI sibling to help deepen understanding and engagement.
From play to real-world understanding
Prasad believes abstract ideas like blockchain, and AI can become accessible when introduced through play.
“The key is to make such complicated concepts like AI and blockchain relatable, interactive, and appealing to children, connecting them to their reality,” said Prasad.
One example he gives is Minecraft – a game millions of children already know – to define blockchain as a “magical lock that guarantees their work in a game is theirs, and AI as smart game characters that help them build.”
Games like these help introduce ownership, verification, and smart systems in simple, engaging ways.
“Other games like Roblox or Fortnite can also show them how blockchain gives them real ownership of their virtual property, not just temporary access,” said Prasad.
He emphasized that the goal is not technical depth, but empowerment through understanding.
“The goal is not to bury them under technical jargon, but to present to them the means by which these technologies free them to achieve greater control and new and thrilling possibilities,” he stressed.
UAE’s broader vision for emerging tech
The UAE’s ambitions go further: its AI Strategy 2031 aims to position the country as a global leader by transforming key sectors, developing talent, improving governance, and integrating AI with blockchain to enhance competitiveness and wellbeing.
This builds on earlier efforts to embed emerging technologies into national infrastructure. In 2018, the government launched the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, aiming to move 50% of government transactions onto blockchain.
These plans reflect a national vision to build fluency from the ground up, starting in classrooms.
“AI and its talent are concentrated in web3, unlike areas such as Large Language Models (LLMs and training that are dominated by large, centralized, traditional companies,” says Saruchera.
“Agentic AI, where agents can autonomously complete tasks and make decisions, is inherently more efficient, transparent, and secure when executed on-chain,” he explained.
“Blockchain should absolutely be the part and parcel of a curriculum that seeks to provide a new way of understanding the interaction of humans and technology in this age.”
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