AI Retreat Will Become Annual Fixture in Dubai: H.H. Hamdan Bin Mohammed
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, has announced that the AI Retreat, organised collaboratively by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) and the National Program for Artificial Intelligence, will become an annual event on Dubai’s calendar, with the next retreat set to run on 29 April 2025.
The just-concluded AI Retreat 2024, the first event held as part of the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI), was aimed at strengthening the city’s position as a global AI hub.
His Highness said: “We envision this retreat as an annual platform for examining the significant and far-reaching transformations that AI brings to all sectors.
"It will serve as a forum for preparing to seize AI’s diverse opportunities, added value applications, and the qualitative leaps it promises in education, health, development, research, and future design.
“The forward-thinking approach imparted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in embracing innovation has empowered us to swiftly transform AI opportunities into tangible outcomes in Dubai.
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"We are now eager to accelerate the shift from merely exploring AI possibilities to implementing them practically.”
His Highness attended the AI Retreat 2024, which drew participation from over 2,500 decision-makers, AI experts, and industry leaders.
The event also included around 50 CEOs from major technology companies in the UAE and worldwide, such as Microsoft, IBM, Google, Amazon, Oracle, SAP, Nvidia, and Samsung, to name a few.
The AI Retreat also witnessed the launch of new initiatives and partnerships by the participating government entities and private companies.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan also met with the recently appointed 22 Chief AI Officers of government entities in Dubai.
During the meeting, His Highness highlighted the tremendous growth in the use and application of AI and stressed the importance of accelerating the government sector’s alignment with the AI revolution.
His Highness directed the Dubai Government to intensify efforts and accelerate the implementation of the initiatives and ideas discussed at today’s event.
His Highness said: “Our goal for the next phase is to double the positive impact of AI for the betterment of humanity. This will be achieved by leveraging the annual ‘Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence’, which includes initiatives and programmes to enhance Dubai’s economic competitiveness, resilience, quality of life, and future-readiness.”
Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence
Launched on 29 April this year by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, serves as a roadmap for enhancing the well-being of Dubai’s population by adopting AI across all sectors.
The plan aims to make Dubai the city that offers the most conducive environment for economic growth, the best city for technology utilisation, and the fastest in adopting advanced applications.
DUB.AI aims to shape the ideal ecosystem for AI startups and global talent. In addition, it seeks to position Dubai as a global leader in adopting AI in government work, and a testbed to regulate and optimise AI utilisation across strategic sectors.
The annual Dubai plan supports the acceleration and adoption of artificial intelligence applications to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
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