An analysis of Dubai’s new Human-Machine Collaboration Classification System
On 16 July 2025, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), approved the launch of a ‘Human-Machine Collaboration Icons’ initiative, a world-first classification system that requires certain entities to disclose the extent of AI involvement in the creation of research, publications and content.
The new classification system introduces a set of standardised icons designed to visually represent the degree of machine involvement in the research and publication process. In an era where the boundaries between human and machine intelligence are increasingly blurred, the system aims to foster transparency and provide a new norm for clarity and credibility.