Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, today attended the opening of the third edition of the Dubai AI Festival, which runs at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 27 October 2026.
The festival has attracted more than 20,000 participants from over 100 countries, including policymakers, technology leaders and entrepreneurs. It also brings together more than 150 speakers, 500 investors and 200 exhibitors.
Upon his arrival, Sheikh Hamdan was received by His Excellency Essa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Organised by Dubai AI Campus, part of DIFC, in collaboration with the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, the festival is being held under the theme ‘Where Intelligence Meets Opportunity’ and is focused on exploring the next phase of AI adoption.
Investing in promising sectors
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that Dubai, guided by the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, continues to take a proactive approach to investing in promising sectors and advanced technologies that create new opportunities for economic growth.
His Highness said artificial intelligence has become one of the world’s most significant drivers of technological and economic progress, offering immense opportunities to transform businesses and develop innovative solutions.
“Our priority is to position Dubai at the forefront of adopting advanced technologies by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, a flexible regulatory environment and access to the world’s best talent and expertise. This will enable companies and innovators to develop AI technologies and translate their potential into sustainable economic value,” His Highness said.
Sheikh Hamdan highlighted the important role of DIFC in realising this vision by bringing together technology companies, innovators, investors and global institutions within an integrated ecosystem that further strengthens Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for technology and innovation.
His Highness was briefed by His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, on the progress and impact of Dubai AI Campus, which has exceeded its original five-year targets for the number of companies and investment volumes two years ahead of schedule.
Since its launch in May 2024, the campus has attracted more than 500 AI companies, which have collectively secured over AED1 billion in investment from private equity and venture capital funds. It has also contributed to the creation of more than 2,000 specialised technology jobs.
His Highness commended DIFC’s achievements, emphasising the importance of building on this progress and pursuing new opportunities for growth through stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Sheikh Hamdan also approved a new strategic target for Dubai AI Campus to attract more than 1,000 AI companies and create over 5,000 highly skilled jobs by 2030, further establishing the campus as a global destination for specialised talent in the sector.
Tour
During his tour of the exhibition accompanying the third edition of the Dubai AI Festival, His Highness visited the stands of several leading local and international organisations.
At Dubai Medical University, he was briefed on the integration of AI into medical education and clinical diagnostic training.
His Highness also visited ElevenLabs, which develops AI-powered solutions for creating and editing audio, images and videos in more than 90 languages; Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud computing and AI solutions; and Alibaba Cloud, which combines cloud computing, AI and advanced data analytics to help businesses drive innovation and improve operational efficiency.
The tour also included Linkerbot, a company specialising in high-precision robotic hands and advanced robotic control technologies.
His Highness was accompanied during the tour by His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority.
Dubai AI Campus
His Highness also reviewed the architectural vision and development plans for the new Dubai AI Campus building, described as the world’s first purpose-built facility of its kind.
Located within the DIFC Zabeel District expansion, the future Dubai AI Campus building will serve as a central hub for AI development and innovation, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a living laboratory for the AI-driven economy.
Spanning 100,000 square feet, the purpose-built facility will bring together the infrastructure, expertise and resources needed to accelerate AI innovation, adoption and commercialisation, supporting Dubai’s ambition to become a leading global centre for the AI economy by 2030.
Its advanced infrastructure will include GPU-ready systems, secure AI development zones, digital twin environments and AI-powered building systems.
Modular, lab-ready floors will house AI Labs where government entities and private-sector organisations can develop, pilot and validate AI solutions before wider deployment. Dedicated conference facilities will host summits, policy discussions and thought leadership events throughout the year.
An AI Experience Centre, covering applications across various sectors, will showcase the latest developments in artificial intelligence, including innovations from the AI Labs, campus-based companies and citywide pilot projects. The centre will be open to residents, students, visitors, delegations and investors.
Together, these facilities will provide a collaborative environment for companies, government entities, investors, talent and the wider public, supporting the development, testing and deployment of AI solutions across Dubai.
Strengthening Dubai’s position as a global technology hub
His Excellency Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, said: “Dubai has long pursued a clear vision of becoming a global hub for technology and innovation, creating an environment where new ideas, industries and businesses can thrive. Artificial intelligence represents the next defining chapter in this ambition. DIFC is helping translate this vision into tangible outcomes by bringing together the companies, talent, capital and infrastructure needed to accelerate AI innovation and adoption. The continued growth of Dubai AI Campus and the development of its new purpose-built facility in DIFC Zabeel District will further strengthen Dubai’s position as a global leader in AI and the technology economy.”
His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “AI is becoming an integral part of the global economy, transforming how companies operate, capital is deployed and financial services are delivered. Our ambition is not simply to integrate AI into DIFC, but to reimagine how a financial centre operates in the age of AI, with responsibility, security and trust as its foundations. Dubai AI Campus has already achieved its 2028 target of attracting 500 AI companies two years ahead of schedule, and we are now raising our ambition to more than 1,000 companies and over 5,000 jobs by 2030. By bringing together talent, capital, technology and ideas, we are creating an environment where innovation can scale, human potential can be enhanced and Dubai can help shape the next chapter of the AI economy.”
Leading voices from across sectors
The festival features prominent speakers from the UAE public sector, including His Excellency Dr Amin Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention; His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Chief Executive of the Dubai Data & Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai; Dr Abdalla Sulaiman Alhammadi, Chief Innovation Officer and Director of the Strategy and Future Department at the UAE Ministry of Justice; and Amna Al Owais, Deputy Director of DIFC Courts.
Leading figures from the education, aviation, healthcare, telecommunications, technology and financial services sectors include Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Executive Officer of du; Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline; Mayank Kumar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Borderplus and upGrad; Alex Aliper, Co-Founder and President of Insilico Medicine; Matthew Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Invisible Technologies; Husni Khuffash, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Positron AI; and Joseph Ziolkowski, Founder and Global Chief Executive Officer of Relm Insurance.
Discussions during the two-day festival focus on key issues shaping the future of artificial intelligence, including global AI governance, immersive experiences, innovation and ethics, the future of work, AI literacy, investment and infrastructure.
Source: Emirates 24|7