Abu Dhabi:The AI Everything Abu Dhabi 2026, the world's largest AI-first Expo and Summit, has begun at the ADNEC Centre, drawing significant crowds from governments, AI enterprises, frontier model enterprises, investors, and startups. This gathering aims to shape the future of global intelligence.
According to Emirates News Agency, the two-day event, organized by inD and hosted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement, features more than 400 AI exhibitors, over 180 speakers, and more than 200 investors managing US$100 billion in assets. Solutions+, a Mubadala company, serves as the Global Partner, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a rapidly rising AI-driven economy.
Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement, inaugurated the summit with a keynote address highlighting AI governance, infrastructure, and national-scale scaling. He emphasized Abu Dhabi's ambition to be among the leaders of the AI century and the goal of becoming the first AI-native government by 2027.
Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Advisor to the President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs, outlined AI as a critical state capability. He stressed the importance of owning compute, models, and talent, indicating that those who do will shape the future, while others will follow.
The event showcases a variety of AI use-cases and live deployments by UAE government entities, research institutions, and global technology leaders. H3C, for example, is presenting its end-to-end AI infrastructure focusing on integration into core infrastructure and customer outcomes across sectors.
Seagate Technology is addressing AI's data storage challenges, highlighting its Seagate Exos high-capacity enterprise hard drive as a solution to manage increasing data storage requirements efficiently.
Local initiatives, such as the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park's SPARK AI Hub, are also featured, demonstrating solutions for accelerating AI adoption in government and industry. Khalifa University Enterprises Company (KUEC) is launching new ventures in healthcare, government, industry, and sustainability, seeking partnerships with corporations, investors, and public-sector buyers.