UAE's AI app builder pulls 5,000 users in first hour

UAE Vibe Codes is live, and the delivery numbers came fast. Within its first hour, the platform drew 5,000 participants, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), after launching on October 29 as part of UAE Codes Day. The AI-powered tool was built by the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office in collaboration with Microsoft, and it lets users create websites and applications without any programming background.

The service itself works in a simple loop. Users describe an idea in everyday language, and the platform’s AI tools turn those instructions into working digital prototypes within minutes. Participants can build websites to solve workplace problems, applications to manage daily routines, or digital tools for startups and educational projects. The design targets students, educators, entrepreneurs, business owners, and employees across both the public and private sectors.

Getting people through the door is a hands-on job. For UAE Codes Day, the Artificial Intelligence Office is running practical workshops with technology and industry partners, among them Google, Emirates Global Aluminium, Siemens, and IBM. Each session walks participants through the operational steps of AI-assisted development, from spotting a problem to shaping an idea and producing a first prototype.

The partner network runs wider than the workshops. Government entities and private organizations involved include the Ministry of Education, the UAE Space Agency, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, Emirates Health Services, Emirates NBD, du, and Etisalat UAE. To reach the general public, the office is working with Emaar and cinemas across the UAE, using digital screens and community platforms to promote the tool. Organizers say the goal is to get individuals and families experimenting with emerging technologies while building digital literacy and practical AI skills.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, cast the launch as an operational commitment rather than a symbolic gesture. The initiative, he said, reflects the UAE’s dedication to making advanced technologies accessible and enabling people to build solutions for everyday challenges. AI can widen the room for innovation, he noted, by letting anyone turn an idea into a practical digital product, whatever their technical background. He also stressed the importance of equipping communities with skills for an increasingly digital economy.

The platform sits on a long institutional timeline. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, established UAE Codes Day in 2021. Observed each October 29, the occasion marks the launch of the region’s first e-government initiative in 2001, which laid the groundwork for the UAE’s digital transformation. UNESCO then adopted the UAE’s proposal in 2023 to designate October 29 as the International Day of Programming, recognizing coding and digital skills as drivers of innovation.

The initiative has been covered by Fast Company Middle East, and further details are available via the reference article at https://fastcompanyme.com/news/uae-introduces-ai-powered-coding-platform-to-help-people-build-apps-without-programming-skills/

Whether the first-hour surge translates into sustained usage is the open question. The platform is accessible through the UAE Codes Day site, where participants can experiment with the AI tools and build their own websites and applications, and the early figures suggest demand for low-barrier development tools is already substantial.