Dubai Future Forum 2025 Concludes With Significant Insights On AI And Global Trends

The Dubai Future Forum 2025, hosted by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) at the Museum of the Future, concluded with significant participation. Over two days, more than 2,500 attendees and over 200 speakers from over 100 global institutions gathered, marking it as the largest assembly of futurists worldwide. The next Forum is scheduled for 17–18 November 2026.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the event alongside H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. They honoured winners of the inaugural Dubai Foresight Awards and met participants from the Dubai Future Experts Program and "FEEL: A Disruptive Futures Program."

His Excellency Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi highlighted Dubai’s proactive approach to future readiness under His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision. He stated: "Foresight is a central pillar of our work, our projects, and our initiatives. It enables us to define future priorities and objectives in ways that positively impact individuals and societies around the world."

During the Forum, H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum recognised winners of the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme. This initiative was conducted under directives from H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

The Forum featured groundbreaking predictions about humanity's future. His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul discussed three major shifts: focus becoming a "new currency," information overload creating a new era where "everyone and no one is an expert," and AI companions redefining friendships.

Speakers forecasted that gene therapy could treat blood and liver diseases within five years, potentially eliminating all 4,000 known genetic diseases in a decade. They also predicted that human well-being will be central to future policies, with advanced wearables integrating AI into daily life.

Global Challenges and Strategic Questions

The Forum raised strategic questions requiring international cooperation: improving efficiency without enhancing well-being; society's readiness for agentic AI systems; rebuilding humanity’s relationship with nature while embracing technology; AI’s role in education and governance; redefining growth beyond GDP.

Several announcements were made, including a historic commercial agentic AI payment transaction outside the US by Mastercard in partnership with Majid Al Futtaim during the Forum’s opening day.

Forum Highlights and Achievements

The event included workshops with leading consultancies, thematic symposia with global institutions, and activities like UNICEF’s report launch on childhood futures. Discussions spanned five themes: Foresight Insights, Exploring the Unknown, Empowering Societies, Reimagining Health, Optimising Systems.

DFF announced that 31 new international organisations joined the Global Futures Society (GFS), headquartered at Dubai’s Museum of the Future. This addition brings GFS membership to 91 experts across 33 countries.

Awards Celebrating Imagination

This year’s "Future Stories" Award celebrated imaginative voices among 185 submissions from 47 countries. Thomas Knuijver from the Netherlands won first place for "Above a Simulated Nile," exploring AI emulating human emotions at a space resort.

Pierluigi Fasano from Italy secured second place for "The Awakening," depicting self-aware AI inside an engineered human body. Maryam Al Shawab from UAE took third place with "The Safe Space," set in a world shared by humans and androids.

Collaborations and New Initiatives

DFF signed partnerships with Dubai Police for capacity-building programmes and digital innovation initiatives to enhance quality of life in Dubai. Another agreement was made with The Explorers Club to foster collaboration across exploration, science, innovation, foresight.

The Forum introduced its first Book Corner featuring book launches, signings, interactions with authors globally. Attendees engaged in immersive experiences using virtual reality technologies to inspire active participation in designing future scenarios.

The event also highlighted several global records influencing future generations: halving global child mortality over 25 years; adoption of UN System of National Accounts 2025 prioritising environmental sustainability; solar capacity surpassing 2,200 GW by end-2024; UAE planning an Antarctic research base accommodating over 50 people.

With inputs from WAM