'New era for humanity': Sheikh Hamdan heralds Dubai's future as AI leaders gather in emirate

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, said Dubai continues to reinforce its stature as a global hub for technology innovation. He said the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI, held from October 11 to October 12 at the Museum of the Future and AREA 2071 in Emirates Towers, reflects the emirate’s growing prominence on the global technology landscape.

The assembly, hosted by Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), brought 2,200 attendees in addition to global tech powerhouses and consultancies including Microsoft, Meta, IBM, PwC, Deloitte, SAP, Nokia and McKinsey, among others.

Sheikh Hamdan said, "Artificial Intelligence heralds a new era in human history, and Dubai seek to be at the forefront of this transformation. The emirate's unique model for fostering partnerships between governments and businesses is driving its aspirations to become a global leader in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. This collaborative spirit also fuels our commitment to convert challenges into opportunities."

He added, “Today, we recognise Dubai’s contribution to global scientific and technological progress and launch alliances that aim to include everyone in building the future of humanity."

During the assembly, DFF launched the Dubai Generative AI Alliance, a new alliance of global tech companies to help Dubai accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies and build one of the world’s most advanced and effective tech-enabled governments. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF, called on companies and innovators to join the alliance.

Digital Dubai also announced Dubai AI, a generative AI-powered digital city concierge. The city-wide digital platform will offer comprehensive information and services, covering health, entertainment, business and education, to all residents and visitors across the city.

In addition to featuring major announcements and keynotes from global AI heavyweights, the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI showcased how human creativity can be supercharged by generative AI.

In the Human x AI Music Show, musician and machine came together in a harmonious duet. 11-year-old Emirati pianist performed live alongside advanced AI, producing melodies both familiar and otherworldly. As the notes flowed, real-time visual art was created, painting an unforgettable multisensory story.

$400 billion generative AI boom

Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications, called for a fresh approach to how countries govern AI in his keynote.

He emphasised how the UAE is actively exploring opportunities in generative AI, broadening its application scope, and establishing essential platforms for AI practical use cases that harness its potential for the betterment of humanity. This underscores the principle that forward-thinking governments are best positioned to lead the development of AI and its future applications.

Experts from PwC described how automation in the workplace is imminent, with generative AI likely to be able to execute everyday tasks autonomously on a large scale within the next 18-20 months. Deloitte named climate action and drug discovery as some of the main beneficiaries of generative AI, while QuantumBlack AI by McKinsey said the banking sector could generate up to $400 billion in additional revenue thanks to generative AI.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, described how the airline is transforming the way it trains its cabin crew by leveraging advanced technologies such as generative AI.

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