Sheikh Hamdan Opens First Dubai AI & Web3 Festival To Cement City's Global Tech Leadership

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, attended the opening of the first Dubai AI & Web3 Festival. The event, organised by the Dubai AI Campus in partnership with DIFC and the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, aims to position Dubai as a global leader in AI.

The inaugural festival spans two days and has attracted over 6,800 business leaders. It concludes on Thursday, 12th September. The event's primary goal is to consolidate Dubai’s leadership in harnessing AI's transformative power. During his visit, Sheikh Hamdan toured various pavilions and was briefed on emerging technologies showcased by more than 100 exhibitors.

Prev

Next

Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, delivered the opening keynote address. He stated, "Today, Artificial Intelligence is reshaping societies in profound ways, driving progress and enhancing our quality of life. The transformative power of AI is evident across a wide range of economic sectors and applications, including healthcare, education, manufacturing, transportation, and financial services."

The first day focused on enabling digital economies with sessions covering topics like connecting technologies, scalability and storage, innovation and investments, and security and privacy. Distinguished speakers included Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud from Saudi Arabia; Faisal Belhoul from J&F Holdings; Khalfan Behoul from Dubai Future Foundation; Ursula Owusu-Ekuful from Ghana; Savannah Maziya from Eswatini; and Younus Al Nasser from Dubai Digital Authority.

Sheikh Hamdan highlighted that the participation of leading AI enterprises underscores the event's significance as a pioneering platform for technological innovation in the region. Accompanying him were Omar bin Sultan Al Olama; Essa Kazim; and Arif Amiri.

Future Prospects

Kazim announced that the festival will become one of the largest global events for the industry by 2027, attracting over 30,000 delegates annually. He also introduced Challenge X—a unique platform designed to advance AI globally. This digital platform will serve as an online community for data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts to showcase their skills through competitions.

Prominent industry leaders at the event included Adel Ahmad Al Redha from Emirates Airline; Caroline Yap from Google Cloud; and Maja Pantic from Meta. According to PwC's recent report, by 2030, the Middle East is expected to gain US$320 billion in AI-related benefits. The UAE is projected to be the largest beneficiary followed by Saudi Arabia.

A deep-rooted culture of innovation has been crucial in establishing Dubai as a global hub for technology companies over the past 20 years. DIFC has played a pivotal role in driving this innovation and shaping the economy. "We seek to establish Dubai as the global capital of the digital economy," said Kazim.

The festival not only showcases technological advancements but also provides a platform for collaboration among global leaders in AI and digital economies. This initiative aligns with Dubai's vision to lead in technological innovation while fostering growth across various sectors.

With inputs from WAM