Dubai AI Week pivotal in UAE’s mission to shape AI landscape

The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has announced the official agenda for the inaugural Dubai AI Week, taking place from 21-25 April 2025, and held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DFF.

Organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence and overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, the global event will convene AI pioneers, innovators, decision-makers, and industry leaders from over 100 countries to foster international collaboration and spotlight the role of AI in reimagining government services, accelerating economic growth, and building future-ready societies.

Dubai AI Week marks a pivotal moment in the UAE’s mission to shape the global AI landscape – one that will be brought to life through a series of flagship initiatives, immersive experiences, and high-impact collaborations.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, affirmed that Dubai has become a global destination for shaping the future of AI and a leading hub for the world’s top tech companies in this fast-evolving field. He emphasised that this progress is driven by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the continued guidance and support of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“Dubai AI Week marks a major milestone in the UAE’s journey to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across governments and industries,” Al Gergawi said. “It reflects our commitment to advancing national strategies that put innovation at the heart of future-readiness, and to turning AI potential into practical, real-world impact.” He added: “The week will bring together brilliant minds from around the world to develop smart, scalable solutions that serve humanity and open new pathways for innovation and progress. It will also serve as a global platform to highlight best practices in AI adoption and inspire the next wave of ideas and experimentation.”

Al Gergawi highlighted the importance of participation from UAE and international government entities, noting that Dubai AI Week is a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors, showcase cutting-edge breakthroughs in AI, and explore how emerging technologies can support both economic growth and social advancement.

He also welcomed the presence of national pavilions from countries around the world, calling it a valuable chance to exchange expertise, spotlight talent, and connect forward-thinking companies with global opportunities.

The Dubai AI Week features a lineup of key events across the city ranging from high-level summits, exhibitions, hackathons and global competitions that are dedicated to advancing AI. These events include, AI Retreat, Dubai Assembly for AI, Global Prompt Engineering Championship, Machines Can See Conference, Dubai AI Festival, Dubai AI Hackathon: Agentic AI, 8th International Conference on Education Quality, HIMSS Executive Summit, and AI in Schools – designed to introduce students and educators to AI concepts.

Over 10,000 AI experts and participants are expected to attend the week-long event, which will host over 180 local and international speakers, more than 150 sessions and workshops as well as over 140 activations. Capitalising on Dubai AI Week’s global appeal, the event is set to host over 25 global tech companies including Google, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Gartner and Swift, besides welcoming over 15 country delegations showcasing their latest innovations in AI, including the US, South Korea, India, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Italy and Germany.

With collaboration being integral to the success of the global AI industry, Dubai AI Week has been instrumental in facilitating impactful local and international partnerships. This year, the event’s Strategic Partners include, Digital Dubai Authority, DEWA, Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and the UAE AI Office. Additional partners include global tech leaders and AI pioneers, such as Meta, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Gartner, OpenAI, Swift, Nvidia, Palantir, Cohere and ElevenLabs.

The AI Retreat on 21 April at the Museum of the Future will be an exclusive, invite-only event gathering over 100 global leaders, tech giants, decision-makers, and AI experts from both government and private sector to tackle AI challenges, applications and opportunities locally and globally. The event will also host closed roundtable discussions addressing Economy and Investment, Data and Governance, Infrastructure, and Talent Development.

Dubai Assembly for AI from 21–25 April, being held at AREA 2071 at Emirates Towers, will host over 2,500 global AI leaders, policymakers, and executives, featuring 25 sessions and live AI activations presented by leading AI companies.