AI Retreat 2024 Kicks Off In Dubai: A Convergence To Forge AI's Future

Government and business leaders will gather in Dubai on Tuesday for the AI Retreat 2024 to discuss the opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies both locally and globally. The event aims to lay foundational strategies for accelerating AI adoption across all sectors.

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation, the AI Retreat will host over 1,000 decision-makers, industry leaders, and AI experts from government and private sectors. The event will take place at the Museum of the Future and AREA 2071, Emirates Towers.

Organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) in collaboration with the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence, this retreat marks the inaugural event under the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI). The retreat aims to explore future opportunities and trends, foster joint collaborations for effective solutions, and launch innovative initiatives to build strategic partnerships that ensure accelerated AI adoption.

The AI Retreat serves as a platform for open discussions between government and private sectors, aiming to maximise AI opportunities and achieve impactful outcomes. It facilitates dialogue and direct communication between leadership, government, and private sectors.

The event will commence with a keynote featuring Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Deputy Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation. During this session, Al Olama will highlight the main objectives of the recently launched "Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence," which aims to accelerate AI application adoption.

Following the keynote, main panel sessions will feature global AI experts and industry leaders focusing on innovations, success stories, and exceptional experiences of AI projects in Dubai. These sessions will also discuss the evolving role of government in adopting AI applications.

Panel Discussions

A panel discussion titled ‘From Dubai to the World: Scaling Local Unicorns’ will explore entrepreneurship in Dubai with a focus on AI's rapid growth. It will discuss opportunities within Dubai's unique ecosystem and strategies to capitalise on them further.

Another panel titled "Government’s Role in Enabling AI Adoption through Policy Development and Regulatory Innovation" will examine how governments can regulate technologies to enhance operations and services. This discussion will delve into Dubai’s regulatory landscape, its regulatory sandbox initiative, and future regulatory expectations needed to support innovation.

High-Level Roundtables

The AI Retreat will also feature high-level roundtables aimed at producing immediate outcomes to drive tangible progress. The first roundtable on ‘Data Regulation and Policies’ will focus on robust data governance to support ethical AI development. The second roundtable will discuss ‘Computing and Digital Infrastructure,’ highlighting their role in enabling growth in Dubai's AI industry.

The third roundtable on ‘Funding and Finance’ will explore investment strategies and financial tools needed to support Dubai's AI sector. The fourth roundtable will address building a robust ‘Talent Ecosystem’ to support the AI industry in Dubai, emphasising education, skills development, and strategies for attracting top talent.

Workshops and Panels

The event will host various specialised workshops and panels by DFF’s strategic partners from both private and public sectors at AREA 2071, Emirates Towers Boulevard. Participating companies include Microsoft, Google, IBM, Oracle, SAP, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, DIFC Innovation Hub, Antler, and Samsung.

With inputs from WAM