Sheikh Hamdan announces Dubai AI Week 2026: Double the scale, global participation expected
His remarks came during the closing of Dubai AI Week 2025, which attracted over 30,000 experts and participants from more than 100 countries from around the world.
Organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence and overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai AI Week 2025 featured 10 major events across the city, more than 250 sessions, panel discussions and workshops, and the launch of over 30 new initiatives, partnerships, and agreements between government and private sector stakeholders, investors, and startups.
The event brought together global experts, innovators, officials, and AI enthusiasts from around the world, including students from Dubai's schools and universities. It also saw the participation of major tech giants such as Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, IBM, Amazon, NVIDIA, and Cohere.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said, 'Following the success of this year's edition, we have directed that the next Dubai AI Week be held in April 2026, with the goal of doubling all targets — expanding to 20 events across the city and welcoming participation from the world's leading technology experts. Dubai AI Week will become a key annual event, bringing together the future shapers of technology from around the world.'
He added, 'Artificial intelligence is driving an unprecedented transformation in human history, reshaping how individuals, institutions, and governments think and operate. Those who are best prepared for the future are the ones building the foundations today—by enabling ecosystems, empowering talent, and ensuring responsible AI governance.'
Sheikh Hamdan continued, 'We are moving forward with determination to seize the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence to design a better future. The next phase will see more AI companies established in Dubai, greater engagement with global experts, and new directives issued to government leaders to develop comprehensive strategies for AI adoption that will enhance quality of life and deliver positive impact across society.'
Sheikh Hamdan also noted that Dubai's goal is to embed AI skills and applications across schools, universities, research centres, innovation hubs, and data ecosystems, while continuing to foster an environment that enables the creation and scaling of billion-dollar AI ventures. He affirmed that Dubai's readiness to attract global AI investment is driven by its advanced digital infrastructure, agile regulatory frameworks, and strong commitment to building capabilities and empowering AI talent.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, said that Dubai AI Week builds on years of accumulated expertise and successful initiatives led by the Dubai Future Foundation, including events, forums, and global gatherings. 'This evolution has culminated in a comprehensive platform that brings together leading experts, pioneering companies, and influential voices shaping the future of artificial intelligence.'
He added, 'Dubai's journey in future readiness, driven by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, and guided by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, continues to embrace transformational shifts and unlock opportunities for technological advancement.'
'Today, future foresight has become a defining feature of the UAE's development model,' His Excellency continued. 'Built on global partnerships, cross-sector collaboration, and agile governance, this approach is preparing communities for an era defined by artificial intelligence and rapid change. Our ability to adapt quickly and harness these shifts for good will be the most important benchmark of progress.'
As part of the week's activities, the AI Retreat was held at the Museum of the Future, bringing together more than 150 experts, policymakers, specialists, and industry leaders from across the global AI ecosystem, representing both the public and private sectors.
The Assembly attracted more than 10,000 participants and visitors during Dubai AI Week, including 25 international delegations from countries such as South Korea, Canada, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, and the United States. The event showcased cutting-edge technologies from global giants such as Meta and Microsoft, along with innovations from 60 startups and the participation of 20 universities and research institutions.
The Dubai AI Festival, organised by Dubai AI Campus in partnership with DIFC, drew over 10,000 participants, including 500 investors, experts, policymakers, and innovators from 100 countries. It featured over 100 speakers across 40 sessions, 30 roundtables, and multiple workshops.
The event coincided with the AI Week in Schools, held from April 21–25, featuring over 10,000 students from 60 Dubai schools. Organised in collaboration with Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the initiative introduced students to AI concepts and future applications.
The second edition of the Global Prompt Engineering Championship brought together nearly 3,800 participants from 125 countries, all competing for the title of best AI prompt engineer across four categories, with a total prize pool of Dh1 million.
Winners included Abdulrahman Al Marzooqi in the AI in Coding category, Yahya Kaddoura for AI-Generated Art, Ibrahim Helmy for AI in Gaming, and Ibrahim Hajjo for AI-Generated Videos.
Dubai AI Week also hosted the Machines Can See Summit, the region's largest and most specialised platform on computational power and machine learning. Organised by Polynome Group and in collaboration with the UAE AI Office, the summit brought together over 3,500 leaders, researchers, investors, and policymakers.
The Dubai AI Week Hackathon: Agentic AI, supported by Hackmasters, welcomed 170 emerging talents and included challenges where participants developed independent AI models to solve pressing real-life issues.
Among the key strategic announcements during the week, du unveiled a new Dh2 billion hyperscale data centre project in the UAE, developed in collaboration with Microsoft. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) also launched its AI Strategy 2030, comprising 81 projects and initiatives.
The Dubai Centre for AI Applications launched a report titled '15 AI Use Cases in Government', which highlights successful examples of AI deployment in public services.
Also launched was the 'Dubai State of AI Report', issued by the Dubai Digital Authority in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation. The report assessed more than 100 high-impact AI use cases across key sectors including urban planning, healthcare, finance, mobility, and talent acquisition.
Furthermore, a joint report from the Dubai Government Human Resources Department and Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government titled 'Generative AI Adoption Among Dubai Government Employees' revealed that 97% of employees believe generative AI positively impacts government operations, and 94% are optimistic about its effects on the workplace.
Advancing AI in education and healthcare was a key focus during Dubai AI Week 2025. The University of Birmingham – Dubai announced the launch of Dubai's first PhD programme in Artificial Intelligence.
Meanwhile, the AI in Healthcare Forum, held under the theme 'Enhancing Healthcare with AI', brought together leading figures and experts from major global health institutions to explore the transformative role of AI in the sector.
Additionally, HIMSS 2025, organised on 23 April at Emirates Towers with the support of the Dubai Health Authority and Emirates Health Services, examined the future of healthcare through innovations in generative AI, genomics, precision medicine, and digital transformation.
The 8th International Conference on Quality Education, hosted by Dubai's General Directorate for Identity and Foreigners Affairs, welcomed over 500 participants from 31 government entities to explore AI's role in empowering public institutions and advancing government services.
Also announced during Dubai AI Week by the Dubai Media Academy, part of Dubai Media Inc., was the AI Initiative in Arab Media, designed to build a comprehensive AI-driven content ecosystem tailored for the Arabic media landscape. The initiative aims to empower Arabic language technologies across dialects, respecting cultural and social nuances to produce unique digital content that resonates with Arab audiences.
The week also marked the celebration of the first certified AI companies under the Dubai AI Seal, which was developed by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence to classify and endorse trusted AI providers in Dubai. The Dubai AI Seal supports a framework for enhanced collaboration between government entities and AI developers and deployers.
Dubai Health launched the ALiF initiative, developed by Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences. The first framework of its kind in the UAE and MENA region, ALiF empowers individuals and institutions with practical AI skills and offers a curriculum aligned with global and regional standards – including foundational knowledge and ethical considerations in AI.
Dubai AI Week 2025 was supported by several key strategic partners, including the Digital Dubai Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, and the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office.
Leading global technology firms also participated as technology partners, including Meta, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Yango, Gartner, SWIFT, PwC, OpenAI, NVIDIA, Palantir, Cohere, ElevenLabs, and others.
Throughout the week, experts and thought leaders explored a range of critical topics, including the cross-sectoral impact of artificial intelligence, the role of AI in shaping future jobs and skillsets, its application in education and academic research, ethical leadership in AI, the future of media in the AI era, and the significance of the Arabic language in the age of artificial intelligence.
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