Government of Dubai Media Office – 25 April 2025: The Dubai AI Campus, the largest dedicated cluster of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced tech companies in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, located in the DIFC Innovation Hub, has launched the Dubai AI Academy, marking a significant step towards mainstreaming AI education. The Academy was unveiled at the Dubai AI Retreat, held as part of the inaugural Dubai AI Week, at the Museum of the Future, where over 150 government leaders and global AI experts gathered to discuss AI integration across sectors.

The Dubai AI Campus was launched last year by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy.

The Dubai AI Academy, to be developed with the support of the DIFC Academy to educate 10,000 emerging and experienced leaders, is poised to become a leading provider of AI learning programmes, which will be delivered in partnership with world-class academia and training providers. The initiative is designed to broaden the pool of talent capable of advancing adoption of AI across future focused industries.

The Academy will offer unique training and certifications, tailored to match the objectives and skill requirements of civil servants and the private sector. This includes, for instance, the ability to understand AI, identify and implement AI use cases, and utilise AI as a strategic capability of organisations, including ethical aspects.

The Dubai AI Academy is a vital step that supports the goal of doubling Dubai’s economic growth and increasing AI’s contributions to the emirate and the UAE’s GDP. McKinsey’s research sizes the global long-term AI opportunity at US$4.4 trillion in added productivity growth potential from corporate use cases.

The Dubai AI Academy, supported by DIFC Academy, will offer AI learning programmes in collaboration with top institutions. The Academy aims to boost Dubai's economic growth by doubling its AI contributions to GDP and developing talent for AI adoption across various sectors.

Commenting on the launch, Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “The Dubai AI Academy is yet another milestone in our journey to advance the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI). To stay competitive in this fast-evolving world, organisations must prioritise AI and ensure its adoption within the workforce. This will give them an edge over other organisations, helping them drive operational efficiencies and transform their business models. The Dubai AI Academy will create a pool of AI talent who will accelerate the adoption of AI applications within all sectors, solidifying Dubai’s status as a preferred global destination for AI, innovation and technology companies.”

One of the first programmes of the initiative will be ‘AI for Civil Service’, which will be accessible to all government employees in partnership with Udacity.  Dubai AI Academy has also partnered with the Minerva Project to deliver ‘Leadership in the Age of AI’, which will equip participants with durable, transferable skills to lead teams, navigate complexity, and make informed, ethical decisions in an AI-enabled world. Building on ongoing collaborations on leadership and talent development, the Academy is also collaborating with the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.

Dubai AI Campus helps accelerate the objectives of DIFC’s 2030 Strategy, which aims to further empower DIFC’s growing AI, FinTech and innovation ecosystem. The AI cluster provides high computing capabilities, including DGX platforms, and state-of-the-art business accelerator programmes that advance implementation of AI applications in the private sector, as well as a unique AI licence specially designed to meet the requirements of the next generation of AI-dependent businesses.

More information on the Dubai AI Academy and its current programmes is available at: http://dubaiaicampus.com/dubai-ai-academy