Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, on Wednesday attended the opening of the inaugural edition of the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival.
The two-day Festival, organised by the Dubai AI Campus in strategic partnership with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, has brought together more than 6,800 business leaders. The event, which concludes on Thursday, aims to consolidate Dubai’s position as a global leader in harnessing the transformational power of AI.
During his visit, Sheikh Hamdan toured several pavilions at the venue, where he was briefed on the emerging technologies showcased by more than 100 exhibitors. Sheikh Hamdan highlighted that the participation of the world’s most innovative AI enterprises reflects the event’s significance as a pioneering platform for technological innovation in the region.
Accompanying Sheikh Hamdan during the tour were Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC; and Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority.
The first day of the Festival focused on the broad theme of enabling digital economies. Specific sessions explored topics such as connecting technologies, scalability and storage, innovation and investments, and security and privacy.
Delivering the opening keynote address, Essa Kazim said, “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.”
“A deep-rooted culture of innovation has been instrumental in establishing the city 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, and we seek to establish Dubai as the global capital of the digital economy.”
Kazim announced that the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival will become one of the largest events globally for the industry, attracting more than 30,000 delegates annually by 2027. He also announced the launch of a unique platform called Challenge X to help advance AI globally. This digital platform will serve as an online community for data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts, hosting competitions and providing a venue for individuals to showcase their skills and collaborate with others in the field. Users can test their abilities against a global audience, with prizes awarded to top performers.
Distinguished speakers at the event include Prince Khaled Bin Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud, Founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, Saudi Arabia; Omar Sultan Al Olama; Faisal Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Chamber and Chairman of J&F Holdings; Khalfan Behoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation; Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing; Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ghana; Savannah Maziya, Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology, Kingdom of Eswatini; and Younus Al Nasser, CEO of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, Dubai Digital Authority.
The event also features other global industry leaders, including Adel Ahmad Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline; Caroline Yap, Global Managing Director of AI Business and Applied Engineering, Google Cloud, USA; and Maja Pantic, Generative AI Research Director at Meta, UK.
According to a recent report by PwC, by 2030, the Middle East is expected to accrue $320 billion in AI-related benefits, with the largest beneficiary being the UAE, followed by Saudi Arabia.
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