Dubai AI Week: Sheikh Hamdan unveils academy to train 10,000 future AI pioneers
The launch took place during the inaugural Dubai AI Week 2025, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan and organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI), an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation, from April 21 to 25 across the Museum of the Future, AREA 2071 at Emirates Towers, and multiple other locations across Dubai.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said, 'Dubai will be the destination of choice for those who are seeking to lead the future of artificial intelligence. We will continue to support impactful initiatives that showcase the promising and diverse applications of AI, and the opportunities it offers to accelerate economic growth and advance progress across government, education, and society.'
The Dubai AI Academy is part of the Dubai AI Campus, the region's largest dedicated cluster of AI and advanced technology companies, located within the DIFC Innovation Hub. To be developed with the support of the DIFC Academy, the initiative is designed to educate 10,000 emerging and experienced leaders, positioning itself as a leading provider of AI training and certification programmes.
The Academy will collaborate with globally renowned academic institutions including Oxford University's Saïd Business School, Udacity, and the Minerva Project, offering tailored programmes that equip participants with the skills required to lead in an AI-enabled world.
Initial offerings will include 'AI for Civil Service', targeting government employees, and 'Leadership in the Age of AI', focused on strategic decision-making, ethics, and adaptability in complex, tech-driven environments.
By expanding AI education at scale, the Academy will support Dubai's ambition to double the impact of AI on its GDP and advance its global competitiveness. Training modules will address essential capabilities such as identifying and implementing AI use cases, integrating AI into business strategies, and applying ethical frameworks for responsible adoption.
This initiative aligns with the goals of the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI) and reinforces the emirate's long-term vision to become a global centre for AI, innovation, and technology. The Dubai AI Campus, which launched under the directives of His Highness in 2023, plays a central role in supporting this transformation by providing computing power, business acceleration programmes, and a bespoke AI business licensing model.
The Academy also contributes to the objectives of DIFC's 2030 Strategy, by enhancing talent development within Dubai's expanding AI, FinTech, and innovation ecosystem. Its establishment is expected to significantly boost productivity within the local workforce and serve as a key enabler for the integration of AI applications in both public and private sectors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Elbit strikes $1.64bn deal with unnamed European country: Report
The Times of Israel is reporting that Israeli military company Elbit Systems has inked a five-year contract worth $1.64bn to supply long-range precision strike artillery-rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicles to an unnamed European country. According to the report, the country ordered a suite of AI-powered unmanned aerial combat systems, including personally operated drones for tactical and operational use. Under the deal, Elbit will supply long-range precision artillery rockets, and defence products equipped with its advanced intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, known as ISTAR, as well as communications and signal intelligence systems.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Grok sides with Altman in clash with Musk over App Store rankings
Elon Musk has accused Apple of unfairly favoring ChatGPT on its App Store and threatened legal action, triggering a fiery exchange with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday. "Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation," Musk said in a post on his social media network X on Monday, without providing evidence to back his claim. "xAI will take immediate legal action," he said, referring to his own artificial intelligence company. X users responded by pointing out that China's DeepSeek AI hit the top spot in the App Store early this year, and Perplexity AI recently ranked number one in the App Store in India. DeepSeek and Perplexity compete with OpenAI and Musk's startup xAI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called the accusation "remarkable" in a response on X on Tuesday, adding that Musk was alleged to "manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like." Musk then called Altman a "liar" in a heated exchange, prompting the OpenAI boss to ask whether Musk would sign a sworn legal statement declaring that he had never ordered changes to the X algorithm to harm competitors or help his own companies. A user then asked Grok, xAI's AI assistant, to evaluate the argument. Grok's reply, surprisingly, was in favour of Altman, saying that Musk indeed has a history of directing the X algorithm to be changed to help his own interests, as per ongoing probes. Forbes reported that Musk responded by saying that Grok relies on legacy media too much, and that this was an issue he intended to fix. OpenAI and xAI both released new versions of their AI assistants, ChatGPT and Grok, in the past week. App Store rankings listed ChatGPT as the top free iPhone app on Tuesday, with Grok in fifth place. Apple did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Factors going into App Store rankings include user engagement, reviews and the number of downloads. AI wars OpenAI and Apple announced an alliance in June last year to enhance iPhones and other devices with ChatGPT features. ChatGPT-5 rolled out free to the nearly 700 million people who use it weekly, OpenAI said in a briefing with journalists last week. Tech industry rivals Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and xAI have been pouring billions of dollars into artificial intelligence since the blockbuster launch of the first version of ChatGPT in late 2022. Chinese startup DeepSeek shook up the AI sector early this year with a model that delivers high performance using less costly chips. OpenAI filed counterclaims against multi-billionaire Musk in April, accusing its former co-founder of waging a "relentless campaign" to damage the organization after it achieved success without him. OpenAI alleged in legal documents filed at the time in the northern California federal court that Musk became hostile toward the company after abandoning it years before its breakthrough achievements with ChatGPT. The lawsuit was another round in a bitter feud between the generative AI (genAI) start-up and the world's richest person, who accused OpenAI of betraying its founding mission in a lawsuit last year. OpenAI alleged in its countersuit that Musk "made it his project to take down OpenAI, and to build a direct competitor that would seize the technological lead -- not for humanity but for Elon Musk." Musk founded his own genAI startup, xAI, in 2023 to compete with OpenAI and the other major AI players.
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
UAE's PropTech sector to be valued at AED5.69bln by 2030
Dubai, UAE – The rapid growth of the PropTech market holds significant importance for the UAE as the country continues to position itself as a global hub for innovation, real estate, and smart urban living. By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AI, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), as well as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), this will help drive enhanced efficiency, transparency, and customer experience across the real estate sector. The UAE's PropTech sector, which was valued at AED 2.24 billion in 2024 is expected to nearly triple and reach AED 5.69 billion by 2030 at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.49% as per market insights and analysis firm 'Research and Markets. The growth is in large part due to the increased adoption of technologies to help streamline processes across property development, management, transactions and investments while also helping to reduce the overall cost. The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) specifically in the local construction market is driving smarter, faster, and more efficient project delivery. These technologies enhance design accuracy, streamline collaboration, and reduce errors, making them ideal for the country's fast-paced, high-value developments. As the nation embraces digital transformation, VR and AR offer a competitive advantage through improved productivity, safety and client engagement. Lifesize Plans Dubai, an Australian based leading company in life-sized architectural projections worldwide, has been witnessing the consistent growth of both the PropTech and construction sectors in the UAE over the last few years before deciding to enter the market in 2023. The company offers a powerful, tactile visualization tool that enhances decision-making and certainty that brings architectural blueprints to life at a true 1:1 scale all during the pre-construction stage, which is perfectly suited to the UAE's fast-paced, high-value development environment. Georges Calas, CEO of Lifesize Plans Dubai commented: 'From immersive Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) walkthroughs to AI-driven analytics, these new technologies are redefining how real estate is bought, sold, and built in the UAE. As the country continues to push the boundaries of innovation and prove to be one of the top investment options for expatriates from all over the world, PropTech is quickly becoming a cornerstone of the market's long-term resilience and global competitiveness.' As the UAE remains steadfast in its commitment to becoming a global leader in smart, sustainable development, the role of PropTech will only continue to expand. From optimizing construction workflows to enriching customer engagement and investment decision-making, as well as ongoing government support and investor confidence, the sector is reshaping the real estate landscape. About Lifesize Plans Dubai: Lifesize Plans Dubai is the UAE's premier provider of full-scale architectural plan projection and virtual walkthroughs. By combining physical-scale visualizations with immersive technology, the company bridges the gap between concept and construction—helping clients experience, evaluate, and enhance their projects before building begins.
