Major artificial intelligence announcements were just revealed in a Middle Eastern city known for sports cars and oil money.
At Dubai’s first-ever AI Week event, political leader and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was in attendance to celebrate the launch of the country’s first PhD program in artificial intelligence.
Students in the United Arab Emirates will now have the opportunity to attain a prestigious academic degree in machine learning and other AI niches like natural language processing and cognitive architectures at University of Birmingham Dubai.
“The new PhD programme will help develop specialized talent in key areas of AI,” the prince and politician said in a release from Dubai’s media office, “including smart city development, advanced healthcare, sustainability, and future mobility.”
“Core components of Dubai’s ongoing digital transformation.”
Full house on Day 1 of Dubai AI Week. 🔥
The conversation continues. Join us tomorrow at AREA 2071, until April 25.#DubaiAIWeek2025 #DubaiFuture #Dubai #AI pic.twitter.com/adJTA8VUOW— Dubai Future Foundation (@DubaiFuture) April 21, 2025
Sheikh Hamdan celebrates US$545M digital infrastructure hub investment
The UAE leader was also present for the official debut of a massive data centre being set up by the local telecommunications company “du” with participation from Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) (FRA: MSF).
“The project marks a significant investment in digital infrastructure, reinforcing Dubai’s leadership in adopting the latest technologies, innovations and digital services,” the royal family member said.
Another notable development at the inaugural technology showcase was the launch of on an AI-powered chatbot specifically designed to provide mortgage financing advice. The local real estate company Huspy has integrated the home-buying LLM on WhatsApp.
“The UAE’s real estate sector continues to experience high demand, and now with AI, we are excited to power the future of home mortgages,” Huspy CEO Jad Antoun said at the event.
Attendees from over 100 nations have made their way to Dubai to learn about AI advancements in the city and their broader implications for the globe. OpenAI, Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: PLTR) (ETR: PTX) and the Canadian company Cohere were prominent “AI Pioneer” partners of the maiden AI Week extravaganza.
The Al Maktoum family dynasty has ruled over the famous metropolis since 1833. The city’s first 5-day artificial intelligence convention is ongoing until Apr. 25.
Full house at Dubai AI Week ! @stephterroir and @therealomaralfy crushed it with a dynamic @grok workshop. More epic sessions pending… join us tomorrow! 🤖@DubaiFuture pic.twitter.com/iom0Ys93KO
— X MENA (@XMENA) April 22, 2025
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