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Inside The Majlis of Possible in Abu Dhabi: How leaders are approaching AI at scale
Executives from G42, Publicis Sapient, Microsoft, Snapchat, Nestlé, Amazon Ads and Adobe joined policymakers to discuss the region’s next phase of AI-led economic transformation
- PUBLISHED: Fri 27 Feb 2026, 10:41 AM
At The Majlis of Possible in Abu Dhabi, executives from G42, Publicis Sapient, Microsoft, Snapchat, Nestlé, Amazon Ads and Adobe joined senior policymakers to debate what the next phase of AI and economic transformation in the region will require.
Hosted by Publicis Groupe Middle East on February 12 at Louvre Abu Dhabi, the leadership platform moved beyond abstract enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and into the harder question of institutional readiness, how governments and enterprises structure themselves to deploy intelligence systems responsibly and at scale.
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The headline AI session brought together Mansoor Al Mansoori, Nigel Vaz, global CEO of Publicis Sapient, and Samer Abu-Ltaif, president of Microsoft Middle East and Africa, moderated by Becky Anderson. The tone was measured but direct. Access to advanced models, they agreed, is no longer the differentiator. Execution is.
Al Mansoori drew a distinction that ran through the discussion: enterprise AI and consumer AI are fundamentally different propositions. Deploying tools is straightforward; embedding AI into decision-making systems, governance frameworks and cross-institution workflows is not. AI, he argued, amplifies existing strengths and weaknesses. Where data foundations and operating structures are robust, it compounds value. Where they are fragmented, it exposes gaps.
Vaz framed the shift already under way in boardrooms. The debate has moved from “what is AI?” to “how does it create measurable value?” The challenge is less about capability and more about alignment, aligning infrastructure, incentives and institutional culture with the ambition leaders are expressing.
Abu-Ltaif added a dimension particularly relevant in the Gulf: trust and sovereignty. As organisations deepen their reliance on AI systems, clarity around governance, data boundaries and regulatory compliance becomes central. Building institutional muscle, operating models, controls and partnerships, is as critical as upskilling individuals.
The AI conversation sat within a broader agenda that extended beyond technology. A second session under the “Economy of the Possible” banner examined economic resilience in an environment shaped by inflationary pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and evolving consumer behaviour. Leaders spoke of intelligence infrastructure not simply as a technology investment, but as a competitiveness imperative, a way to connect data, decision-making and coordinated action across sectors.
Other panels moved across domains including luxury, retail, and sport, exploring how leadership, culture and ecosystem thinking are reshaping growth strategies. The through-line was consistent: transformation is increasingly systemic. It depends on partnerships between government, global platforms and enterprises rather than isolated innovation within single organisations.
The forum opened with remarks from Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism, who positioned Abu Dhabi as a crossroads for dialogue and innovation. Nicolas Niemtchinow, France’s ambassador to the UAE, highlighted the strength of France-UAE relations and Publicis Groupe’s role within that broader ecosystem.
As the sessions concluded, discussions remained focused on systems, governance and leadership rather than short-term experimentation, reflecting a broader shift towards institutional implementation.
