Dubai has taken another major step toward smarter, healthier schools with the launch of “My School Food”, a digital initiative powered by an AI chatbot named Ghalia. Designed to improve student nutrition and food awareness, the platform aims to positively impact the eating habits of over 400,000 students across Dubai schools.

This initiative reflects Dubai’s growing use of artificial intelligence to support student well-being extending innovation beyond classrooms and into daily lifestyle choices.

What Is ‘My School Food’?

“My School Food” is a digital nutrition platform developed to help students, parents, and schools make healthier food choices. At the heart of the platform is Ghalia, an AI-powered chatbot that provides guidance on balanced meals, healthy eating habits, and nutrition awareness tailored for school-aged children.

The platform supports Dubai’s broader goal of creating a healthier school ecosystem by combining technology, education, and public health.

Meet Ghalia: The AI Nutrition Assistant

Ghalia is an AI chatbot designed to interact with students and parents in a simple, engaging, and age-appropriate manner. Instead of generic nutrition advice, Ghalia offers contextual recommendations aligned with school meal programs and healthy lifestyle guidelines.

Key capabilities of Ghalia include:

• Answering questions about healthy foods and nutrition
• Educating students on balanced diets
• Supporting parents with meal-related guidance
• Promoting better food choices in school environments

By using conversational AI, the platform makes nutrition education more accessible and relatable.

Why Nutrition Matters in Schools

Healthy nutrition plays a critical role in:

• Student concentration and academic performance
• Physical development and immunity
• Emotional well-being
• Long-term lifestyle habits

With rising concerns around childhood obesity and poor eating habits, Dubai’s proactive approach ensures that nutrition education becomes part of everyday learning not just a one-time lesson.

AI’s Role in Improving Student Well-Being

The use of AI in “My School Food” demonstrates how technology can support holistic education. Instead of focusing solely on academics, AI is now being applied to:

• Encourage healthier behavior through daily interactions
• Provide consistent, accurate guidance at scale
• Personalize nutrition education based on age and needs
• Support teachers and parents with reliable information

Reaching 400,000 students manually would be nearly impossible AI makes it scalable and sustainable.

Empowering Parents and Schools

Beyond students, the platform is designed to support parents and school administrators by:

• Offering easy access to nutrition information
• Encouraging collaboration between schools and families
• Aligning school meals with health guidelines
• Building awareness around long-term healthy habits

This shared responsibility strengthens the impact of the initiative.

Aligned with Dubai’s Smart City and AI Vision

“My School Food” aligns with Dubai’s broader smart city and AI strategy, where technology is used to enhance quality of life. By integrating AI into student health initiatives, Dubai reinforces its leadership in using innovation for social good.

The initiative also reflects a shift toward preventive healthcare, starting early within the education system.

What This Means for the Future of Education in Dubai

The launch of “My School Food” and AI chatbot Ghalia signals a future where:

• AI supports both learning and well-being
• Schools adopt data-driven health initiatives
• Students develop lifelong healthy habits early
• Technology becomes a trusted partner in education

This model could serve as a blueprint for other regions aiming to combine education, health, and AI.

Dubai’s launch of “My School Food” with AI chatbot Ghalia is a powerful example of how artificial intelligence can positively impact student lives beyond academics. By promoting healthier nutrition choices for over 400,000 students, the initiative highlights the role of AI in building smarter, healthier, and more supportive school environments. As Dubai continues to innovate, initiatives like this show that the future of education is not just intelligent but also caring and student-centric.