Dubai: Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has partnered with Majid Al Futtaim, a leading retail, leisure, and lifestyle group in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, to explore the future of robotics in retail. This collaboration is unique in that it starts not in laboratories, but directly in shopping malls with real shoppers.
According to Emirates News Agency, the partnership features a live pilot at City Centre Mirdif, where two avatar-style robots assist visitors in navigating the mall. This initiative is part of a larger effort to understand how robotics can enhance everyday experiences in shopping centers, hotels, and entertainment destinations, making them more intuitive, connected, and human.
Khalifa Al Qama, Executive Director of Dubai Future Labs, stated that this partnership falls under the Dubai Robotics and Automation Programme, launched to drive the development, testing, and adoption of advanced technologies across Dubai's key sectors. Deploying robotics in high-traffic public spaces is aimed at reinforcing Dubai's position as a regional and global leader in building a future-ready city.
The pilot reflects Majid Al Futtaim's vision to reimagine the future of customer experience through responsible AI and emerging technology. The focus is on using real-time feedback and live interactions to inform practical applications of robotics in retail, rather than showcasing innovation for its own sake.
From way-finding and accessibility to enhanced service response and operational efficiency, the City Centre Mirdif initiative is the first phase of a multi-stage journey to scale people-first, AI-enabled solutions across Majid Al Futtaim's portfolio. This is part of the group's wider digital transformation strategy, designed to deliver seamless, useful, and memorable experiences.
Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director of Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls in the UAE, expressed pride in City Centre Mirdif's role in this unique robotics pilot. He emphasized the aim to deliver smarter, more responsive retail environments that prioritize people, and believes emerging technology can elevate customer engagement meaningfully.
The pilot is part of a substantial research collaboration between Dubai Future Labs (DFL) and Osaka University under Japan's Moonshot Research and Development Programme, supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The programme aims to establish an 'Avatar-Symbiotic Society' by 2050, enabling people to transcend physical and spatial limitations through advanced robotics.
In addition, DFF and Majid Al Futtaim are addressing legal, ethical, and societal implications from the outset, ensuring that the integration of technology is responsible and reflective of community needs and values. By introducing robotics into public life in a measured, human-centric way, the partnership represents a significant step toward making advanced technologies more accessible, meaningful, and trusted.