In a wide-ranging and deeply reflective episode of People by WTF, Nikhil Kamath sits down with Omar Sultan Al Olama, one of the youngest ministers globally and the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, for an unfiltered conversation on governance, political responsibility, leadership, and how power must evolve in a rapidly changing world.
While technology and artificial intelligence form an important backdrop, the conversation moves decisively beyond tools and trends, focusing instead on how governments are built, how leaders earn trust, and why youth participation in politics is becoming increasingly critical. Drawing from his experience in public office, military service, and policymaking at a national scale, Omar offers a rare inside view of governance that prioritises daily human realities over rhetoric.
The discussion opens with a fundamental question around power and representation in the modern world. Omar explains that governance today is less about control and more about outcomes, arguing that credibility is earned when systems work quietly and consistently for people. In this context, technology becomes an enabler of governance rather than its centrepiece, helping states deliver services more efficiently, transparently, and at scale.
As the conversation turns to leadership and political responsibility, Omar challenges the assumption that experience must always be tied to age. As one of the youngest ministers globally, he makes a compelling case for youth in politics, arguing that younger leaders bring urgency, adaptability, and a lived understanding of the systems shaping everyday life. Youth, he suggests, are not inexperienced observers but active stakeholders in the future being designed today.
Reflecting on his time in military service, Omar shares one of the most grounded insights of the episode. Recalling standing on a scorching tarmac alongside young cadets, he describes a moment of clarity — that when basic needs are unmet, policy frameworks and long-term visions lose relevance. Food, safety, dignity, and stability must come first. Leadership, he argues, fails when it prioritises ambition over responsibility.
“If you are hyper-specialised, AI will eventually beat you at your own game. The only way humans stay relevant is through breadth — understanding systems, not just skills, and knowing how to make decisions when the answers aren’t obvious,” says Omar Sultan Al Olama, linking the same principle to governance and leadership.
The episode also examines how modern governance must navigate the unintended consequences of progress. While productivity and efficiency continue to rise, Omar reflects on how social cohesion and community are quietly weakening. He points to the increasing monetisation of loneliness as a warning sign, emphasising that good governance must protect not just economic growth but social fabric.
“What struck me most in this conversation was how grounded the idea of leadership really is,” says Nikhil Kamath. “Before technology, before ambition, before vision — leadership is about ensuring people are taken care of. Everything else comes after.”
As the discussion widens, Omar dismantles the idea that power or authority alone create impact. True political leadership, he insists, is measured by trust, fairness, and systems that continue to work beyond individual tenures. He speaks candidly about corruption as a leadership failure rather than a purely systemic one, noting that culture flows downward and example matters more than enforcement.
In a polarised global climate, the conversation turns to geopolitics and statecraft. Omar frames neutrality, dialogue, and cooperation as deliberate strategic choices rather than passive positions, highlighting how smaller nations can play stabilising roles by acting as connectors rather than competitors.
The episode closes with a reflection on wisdom as the defining quality of modern leadership. In an era driven by reaction, visibility, and instant judgment, Omar argues that discernment, restraint, and listening may be the most undervalued skills in politics today — particularly for a generation of leaders shaping the future in real time.
Catch the full episode of People by WTF featuring Omar Sultan Al Olama on YouTube:
