Sheikh Hamdan sets ambitious new targets for Dubai AI Campus: 1,000 companies and 5,000 jobs by 2030

The announcement came during the third edition of the Dubai AI Festival, which opened at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday. The festival runs until 27 October 2026 and has drawn broad international participation, with more than 20,000 attendees from over 100 countries. Policymakers, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and over 150 speakers, 500 investors, and 200 exhibitors are taking part.

New targets and investment milestones

Upon arrival at the festival, Sheikh Hamdan was received by Essa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The event is organised by the Dubai AI Campus, which is part of the DIFC, in collaboration with the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. The theme of the festival is ‘Where Intelligence Meets Opportunity’, with a focus on exploring the next phase of AI adoption.

Sheikh Hamdan said that Dubai, guided by the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, continues to invest proactively in promising sectors and advanced technologies that create new opportunities for economic growth. He noted that artificial intelligence has become one of the world’s most significant drivers of technological and economic progress, offering immense opportunities to transform businesses and develop innovative solutions.

‘Our priority is to position Dubai at the forefront of adopting advanced technologies by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, a flexible regulatory environment and access to the world’s best talent and expertise. This will enable companies and innovators to develop AI technologies and translate their potential into sustainable economic value,’ the Dubai Crown Prince added.

Sheikh Hamdan emphasised the key role of the DIFC in realising this vision by uniting technology companies, innovators, investors and global institutions within an integrated ecosystem that strengthens Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for technology and innovation.

Progress and job creation

Sheikh Hamdan was briefed by Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, on the progress and impact of the Dubai AI Campus. The campus has exceeded its original five-year target for the number of companies and investment volumes two years ahead of schedule. Since its launch in May 2024, it has attracted more than 500 AI companies, which have collectively secured over AED1 billion in investment from private equity and venture capital funds. The campus has also contributed to creating more than 2,000 specialised technology jobs.

Sheikh Hamdan commended DIFC’s achievements and stressed the importance of building on progress and pursuing new growth opportunities through stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Exhibition tour and new campus building

During his tour of the exhibition accompanying the festival, Sheikh Hamdan visited the stands of several leading local and international organisations. These included Dubai Medical University, where he was briefed on integrating AI into medical education and clinical diagnostic training; ElevenLabs, which develops AI-powered solutions for creating and editing audio, images and videos in more than 90 languages; Amazon Web Services (AWS), providing cloud computing and AI solutions; Alibaba Cloud, which combines cloud computing, AI and advanced data analytics; and Linkerbot, a company specialising in high-precision robotic hands and advanced robotic control technologies. He was accompanied by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority.

Sheikh Hamdan also reviewed the architectural vision and development plans for the new Dubai AI Campus building, described as the world’s first purpose-built facility of its kind. Located within the DIFC Zabeel District expansion, the future building will serve as a central hub for AI development and innovation, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a living laboratory for the AI-driven economy. Spanning 100,000 square feet, the facility will bring together infrastructure, expertise and resources to accelerate AI innovation, adoption and commercialisation. Its advanced infrastructure will include GPU-ready systems, secure AI development zones, digital twin environments and AI-powered building systems. Modular, lab-ready floors will house AI Labs where government entities and private sector organisations can develop, pilot and validate AI solutions before wider deployment. Dedicated conference facilities will host summits, policy discussions and thought leadership events throughout the year. An AI Experience Centre, covering applications across various sectors, will showcase the latest developments in artificial intelligence, including innovations from the AI Labs, campus-based companies and citywide pilot projects. The centre will be open to residents, students, visitors, delegations and investors.

Festival speakers and discussions

The festival features prominent speakers from the UAE public sector, including Dr Amin Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention; Younus Al Nasser, Chief Executive of the Dubai Data & Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai; Dr Abdalla Sulaiman Alhammadi, Chief Innovation Officer and Director of the Strategy and Future Department at the UAE Ministry of Justice; and Amna Al Owais, Deputy Director of DIFC Courts. Leading figures from the education, aviation, healthcare, telecommunications, technology and financial services sectors include Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Executive Officer of du; Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline; Mayank Kumar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Borderplus and upGrad; Alex Aliper, Co-Founder and President of Insilico Medicine; Matthew Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Invisible Technologies; Husni Khuffash, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Positron AI; and Joseph Ziolkowski, Founder and Global Chief Executive Officer of Relm Insurance.

Discussions during the two-day festival focus on key issues shaping the future of artificial intelligence, including global AI governance, immersive experiences, innovation and ethics, the future of work, AI literacy, investment and infrastructure.