His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,
Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future
Technology and Digital Economy, has officially inaugurated the Dubai AI Campus cluster at the
DIFC Innovation Hub.
This inauguration marks the first phase of the annual Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial
Intelligence (DUB.AI), an initiative aimed at accelerating AI adoption across all relevant sectors,
thereby creating an optimal ecosystem for AI businesses and talent to drive innovation.
Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that Dubai continues to launch strategic plans to accelerate AI
adoption in all sectors, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The goal is to
establish Dubai as a global hub of the digital economy and a preferred destination for major AI
businesses and top talent worldwide.
“Our efforts continue to harness the immense potential of advanced technology. The Dubai AI
Campus at DIFC is a key step toward achieving our goals of doubling economic growth and
increasing AI’s contribution to Dubai and the UAE’s GDP. We are confident this campus will be
a significant addition to Dubai’s economy by hosting hundreds of businesses and creating
thousands of jobs over the next few years, further cementing Dubai’s status as a prime
destination for tech companies,” His Highness stated.
“We prioritize Dubai’s competitiveness and leading position as a hub for the digital economy in
all projects and programs we launch, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda
(D33). Today, we move steadily towards a new era of leadership and sustainable growth for
Dubai’s economy, based on knowledge, innovation, and future tech applications. Dubai will
always remain a beacon of economic prosperity, regionally and globally, and the preferred
choice of innovative minds,” he added.
Region’s Top AI Destination
Announced in 2023, the Dubai AI Campus is the largest dedicated cluster of AI and advanced
tech in the MENA region. The launch aligns with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda
(D33), aiming to generate an average of AED 100 billion annually for Dubai’s economy through
digital transformation. This initiative marks another step in realizing Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid’s vision of establishing Dubai as a global digital economy hub.
The Dubai AI Campus is designed to attract tech businesses, driving innovation and tech
integration across all sectors. AI is expected to contribute $230 billion to the Middle East’s
economy by 2030 and 14% to the UAE’s GDP by 2030.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister
of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; His
Excellency Issa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre; and Arif Amiri,
CEO of the DIFC Authority.
The Dubai AI Campus cluster will be part of the DIFC Innovation Hub, offering dedicated co-
working spaces to tech startups, including AI businesses. Phase one of the campus is complete,
with over 75 businesses registered on a 10,000-square-foot campus. Phase two will extend over
100,000 square feet, attracting over 500 companies and creating more than 3,000 jobs by 2028.
A Global Hub
His Excellency Essa Kazim welcomed Sheikh Hamdan to the Dubai AI Campus, noting that the
cluster will accelerate the Dubai Economic Agenda’s goals while supporting future technology
and digital economy strategies. “The Dubai AI Campus is a key enabler that will bolster Dubai’s
position as a global hub for advanced technology adoption,” he said.
Easy Investor Access
“Dubai and DIFC’s innovative structure gives startups direct access to investors, investment
funds, major corporations, and traditional financial institutions, ensuring high-potential
businesses receive the necessary funding to achieve their goals,” Essa Kazim added.
Catalyst for Fintech Ecosystem
Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority, stated, “The Dubai AI Campus will accelerate the
objectives of DIFC’s 2030 Strategy, empowering our growing fintech and innovation ecosystem.
The cluster will also cement DIFC’s position as the largest incubator of the financial sector
across the MEASA region, collaborating with regional players to simplify and expand their
business through AI.”
Tech Partnerships
The Dubai AI Campus will facilitate multinational tech partnerships with leading companies like
Amazon Web Services, HP, Microsoft, Oracle, and Nvidia, further enhancing its empowering
nature. It will also host the first innovation lab offering AI solutions to the UAE’s small
businesses in collaboration with du.
Additionally, the cluster will provide high computing capabilities, including DGX platforms, and
state-of-the-art business accelerator programs to advance AI applications in the private sector.
Unique Licenses
The Dubai AI Campus will offer a unique AI license designed to meet the needs of next-
generation AI-dependent businesses, utilizing DIFC’s independent legal framework. Businesses within the cluster will also benefit from DIFC’s Digital Assets Law, providing legal certainty to
investors and users of digital assets.
Future Tech Showcase
Highlighting its focus on leveraging technological advancements, Dubai is set to host the premier
Dubai AI and Web3 Festival on 11-12 September 2024 at Madinat Jumeirah. Organized by
Dubai AI Campus in collaboration with the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital
Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office, and DIFC, the event is expected to attract over
5,000 visitors, more than 500 investors, and 100 exhibitors.
Since its launch in 2021, DIFC’s Innovation Hub has continued to grow, forging milestone
partnerships and driving innovation. It is now home to over 1,000 startups. As part of the Dubai
Metaverse Strategy, the Innovation Hub launched the Metaverse Accelerator Program, enrolling
more than 150 students in its first cohort.
