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DIFC’s AI native programme to create 25,000 jobs, boost economy by Dh12.9 billion
Dubai’s financial centre will fully embed AI within legal and regulatory frameworks, business operations, talent development systems, ecosystem infrastructure and even physical environment
- PUBLISHED: Tue 21 Apr 2026, 1:25 PM
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) said it plans to become the world’s first AI-native financial centre with a fully embedded artificial intelligence at the foundational level of its operations and well as its “urban fabric.”
The centre will fully embed AI within legal and regulatory frameworks, business operations, talent development systems, ecosystem infrastructure and even DIFC’s physical environment, it said in a release on Tuesday.
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According to DIFC, the initiative will generate approximately Dh2.5 billion in economic benefits and 25,000 jobs. DIFC has an advantage over its counterparts in terms of quickly implementing as it is less constrained in legal processes and regulations thanks to its unique and independent framework.
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This forms part of DIFC’s five-year AI strategy, which it introduced in 2023. Last year, the CEO of DIFC’s Innovation Hub, Mohammad Al Blooshi, told Khaleej Times the centre saw a surge of AI companies registered aboard its campus, and aims to have a total of 500 AI-powered companies by 2028.
To enable the development of industry talent, DIFC said it will build the capabilities required to put together a human-AI-robot collaboration at scale through education, regulatory training and technical certification.
The ecosystem’s infrastructure will support innovation through hubs, accelerators, venture platforms and strategic partnerships. This includes providing AI training programmes to local, regional and global talent.
The jurisdiction will also integrate physical AI, including robotics, autonomous mobility and digital twins, with financial laws and regulation. The financial centre will be the first to offer a full-stack AI Campus combining regulation, training, compute and physical AI.
DIFC Governor Essa Kazim said that the centre’s evolution marks a defining step in Dubai’s goal toward a global capital for the future of finance. “As artificial intelligence reshapes the international financial landscape, this initiative reinforces Dubai’s role in setting new standards for innovation, trust and competitiveness,” he said.
“DIFC will set a global benchmark for AI governance and responsible innovation, while delivering tangible impact, including $3.5 billion (Dh 12.9 billion) in economic value and the creation of 25,000 new jobs,” Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.