UAE: Dubai now inviting AI experts and companies to collaborate on building AI-driven government services
Dubai is inviting global AI innovators to co-design the next era of government services. With applications now open for the second cycle of its "Future of AI in Government Services Accelerator", the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) is offering a platform where cutting-edge technology meets public service transformation, part of a broader agenda to embed artificial intelligence across the city's institutions and sectors.
Second cycle of AI Accelerator: What's new and what It offers
The Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) has officially begun accepting applications for the second edition of its 'Future of AI in Government Services Accelerator.' Organised in partnership with Dubai Future Accelerators, an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the programme is inviting both local and international tech innovators and AI-focused companies from around the world.
This accelerator is designed to match private sector AI expertise with the needs of over 20 participating Dubai government entities. It targets four specific areas:
Enhancing existing public services through AI-driven personalisation and efficiency.
Creating new services that solve previously intractable challenges.
Integrating AI into daily operations to drive internal government productivity.
Making services more inclusive, particularly by developing solutions that break accessibility barriers.
Programme details:
Applications for the programme are open until 29 August 2025, with selected companies invited to join an intensive, eight-week engagement in Dubai from 6 October to 28 November 2025.
Participants will be hosted on-site in Dubai, where they'll work directly with government teams, AI experts, and decision-makers on developing and deploying real solutions.
The programme is designed to eliminate financial and operational barriers for participants. Startups will receive fully sponsored accommodation and travel, enabling them to focus entirely on innovation. Importantly, the accelerator takes no equity stake, ensuring companies retain full ownership of their intellectual property.
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Participants will also benefit from direct access to senior government officials, along with daily collaboration alongside subject matter experts across relevant public sectors. This structure not only accelerates implementation but also opens up opportunities for longer-term partnerships within Dubai's evolving AI ecosystem.
Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director of DCAI, described the accelerator as a step toward building a city where AI makes public services faster, smarter, and more responsive.
He stated that the programme aims to help place Dubai among the world's top cities in delivering agile, AI-powered public services, with quality of life, efficiency, and happiness at the centre.
Outcomes from First Cycle
Launched in 2024, the inaugural cycle attracted 615 companies from 55 countries, resulting in 183 defined AI use cases, of which 75 were piloted in real government environments. Over eight weeks, startups and government teams co-developed and tested AI applications tailored to public sector needs, signalling Dubai's serious commitment to applied innovation.
Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence: Structure and purpose
Founded in June 2023, the DCAI is a multi-agency initiative led by the Dubai Future Foundation, alongside the Digital Dubai Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and the Dubai Media Council. It was launched under the direction of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of DFF's Board of Trustees.
DCAI's core mission is to scale AI across Dubai's government ecosystem. It operates along three strategic pillars:
Legislation & Policy: Developing governance models, regulations, and ethical standards for responsible AI adoption.
Awareness & Capacity-Building: Delivering AI literacy and training programs for civil servants and the wider public.
Technology Adoption & Innovation: Partnering with startups, tech companies, and global institutions to deploy AI in real-world government use cases.
A key part of DCAI's approach is to make AI trustworthy, inclusive, and beneficial for every segment of society—not just technologically advanced, but human-centered and ethically grounded.
Expanding the ecosystem: From AI Seal to AI Week
DCAI's AI accelerator is just one pillar of a broader strategy designed to turn Dubai into a global AI capital. Several major initiatives have been launched under this vision:
Dubai AI Seal
Introduced in January 2025, the Dubai AI Seal is a first-of-its-kind certification programme that identifies AI companies as trusted partners for government use. Companies awarded the seal receive a unique serial number and classification, which can be showcased across digital and marketing platforms.
To work on UAE or Dubai government AI projects, certification under the AI Seal has become a mandatory requirement. This promotes trust and accountability in deploying advanced AI systems.
One Million Prompters
Unveiled in May 2024, this initiative aims to train one million people in the emerging discipline of AI prompt engineering over three years. Participants gain practical skills in crafting and optimising prompts for generative AI systems, a capability seen as foundational for the future digital workforce.
The One Million Prompters initiative builds on the success of the Global Prompt Engineering Championship, launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed in May 2024. Held at the Museum of the Future, it attracted participants from nearly 100 countries, with competitions in literature, art, and coding, awarding AED 1 million in prizes to promote generative AI leadership.
The 2025 edition, hosted during Dubai AI Week, attracted over 3,800 participants from 125 countries, with 24 finalists from 16 nations competing live in Dubai.
Winners included Abdulrahman Al Marzooqi (UAE) in Coding, Ibrahim Hajjo (Syria) in Video, Ibrahim Helmy (Canada) in Gaming, and Yahya Kaddoura (Palestine) in Art. Organised by DCAI and supported by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the event awarded a share of AED 1 million in prizes and served as a key feature of Dubai's growing AI talent agenda.
Dubai AI Academy
Launched during Dubai AI Week 2025, the Academy aims to train 10,000 professionals—including government officials and business leaders, in AI leadership and application.
Operated by DCAI, it is housed within the Dubai AI Campus at DIFC Innovation Hub.
Educational content is delivered in collaboration with:
Oxford Saïd Business School
Udacity
The Minerva Project
The academy offers courses like
AI for Civil Service
and
Leadership in the Age of AI
, aimed at equipping leaders with the skills to apply AI strategically and responsibly. The curriculum combines technical knowledge with business and policy insights, aligning with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI and the DIFC 2030 Strategy.
Dubai AI Week
Launched in April 2025, Dubai AI Week, now in its second edition, is another flagship initiative of the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, organised with the Dubai Future Foundation under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Held from 21 to 25 April across the Museum of the Future, Emirates Towers, and Madinat Jumeirah, the event featured over 180 sessions and workshops, more than 150 activations, delegations from 140+ countries, and participation from over 25 global technology companies.
With headline events including the AI Retreat, Dubai Assembly for AI, Global Prompt Engineering Championship, AI Week in Schools Dubai AI Festival, and the Machines Can See conference, the week reinforced Dubai's position as a global hub for artificial intelligence, all aligned with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI.
Dubai Future Foundation: The Strategic Backbone
The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) is the government entity responsible for shaping the city's long-term innovation agenda through emerging technologies, strategic foresight, and cross-sector collaboration.
Established in 2016, the Foundation operates under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and serves as the umbrella organisation overseeing all initiatives, programmes, and projects driven by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI).
From accelerators and AI academies to global certification schemes, talent development efforts, and flagship events like Dubai AI Week, DFF ensures every initiative is aligned with Dubai's broader transformation goals, particularly those outlined in the D33 Economic Agenda.
Its role is not only to incubate future-ready programmes but also to embed governance, scalability, and ethical deployment into Dubai's AI ecosystem.
Strategic alignment: D33 Agenda and the Universal Blueprint for AI
All of these efforts, from accelerators to certifications and academies, fall under a unified vision set out in the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence. This overarching strategy aims to drive digital transformation and is aligned with the D33 Economic Agenda, which targets a AED 100 billion (USD 27 billion) annual contribution to GDP through AI and digital innovation.
The Blueprint's goals include:
Embedding AI into all strategic sectors
Establishing AI and Web3 incubators
Appointing Chief AI Officers in every government entity
Launching AI Weeks in schools and universities
Issuing commercial AI licences
Allocating land for AI-ready data centres
Delivering world-leading public services through AI integration
The D33 plan positions Dubai as not only a leader in AI deployment but also in AI governance, education, talent development, and infrastructure.
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