Dubai is inviting global AI innovators to co-design the next era of government services. With applications open in the second cycle of “The Future of AI in Government Service Accelerators,” the Dubai Artificial Intelligence Centre (DCAI) offers a platform where cutting-edge technology meets the transformation of public services.
The second cycle of AI accelerators: what's new and what it offers
The Dubai Artificial Intelligence Centre (DCAI) has officially begun accepting applications for the second edition of “AI Future of AI in Government Service Accelerators.” Organized in collaboration with Dubai Future Accelerator, an initiative of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the programme invites both local and international technological innovators and AI-focused companies from around the world. This accelerator is designed to match the private sector AI expertise with the needs of more than 20 participating Dubai government agencies. Target four specific regions.
- Enhance existing public services through AI-driven personalization and efficiency.
- Create new services that solve previously unwieldy issues.
- Integrate AI into your daily operations to promote internal government productivity.
- Make services more comprehensive, especially by developing solutions that break accessibility barriers.
Program details:Applications for the program are open until August 29, 2025, with companies selected to participate in an intensive eight-week engagement in Dubai from October 6 to 28, 2025. Participants will be hosted on-site in Dubai, where they will work directly with government teams, AI experts and decision makers to develop and deploy real-world solutions.The program is designed to eliminate financial and operational barriers for participants. Startups will receive fully sponsored accommodation and travel, allowing them to focus entirely on innovation. Importantly, the accelerator does not acquire any interest in the stock, and the company holds full ownership of its intellectual property.Participants will also benefit from direct access to government officials, along with daily cooperation, along with experts on relevant public sector subjects. This structure not only accelerates implementation, but also opens up opportunities for long-term partnerships within Dubai's evolving AI ecosystem.Saeed Al Falasi, executive director of DCAI, described AI as a step towards building cities that make public services faster, smarter and more responsive. He said the programme aims to help place Dubai in the world's top cities in providing public services that drive agile and AI with quality of life, efficiency and happiness at the Centre.Results from the first cycle The first cycle, launched in 2024, attracted 615 companies from 55 countries, bringing 183 defined AI use cases, of which 75 were piloted in real government environments. For over eight weeks, startups and government teams co-developed and tested AI applications tailored to the needs of the public sector.
Dubai Artificial Intelligence Centre: Structure and Purpose
Founded in June 2023, DCAI is a multi-agency initiative led by the Digital Dubai Authority, Dubai Electrical and Water Authority (DEWA), and Dubai Media Council, as well as the Dubai Future Foundation. It was released under the direction of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktum, Crown Prince Dubai and Chairman of the DFF Council. DCAI's core mission is to expand AI across the Dubai government's ecosystem. Works along three strategic pillars.
- Legislation and Policy: Development of governance models, regulatory, and ethical standards for responsible AI adoption.
- Awareness and capacity building: Provide AI literacy and training programs to civil servants and more public.
- Technology Adoption and Innovation: Partnering with startups, tech companies and global institutions to deploy AI in real government use cases.
An important part of DCAI's approach is to make AI reliable, inclusive and beneficial to all segments of society. Not only has it been technologically advanced, it is human-centered and ethically grounded.
Ecosystem expansion: From AI stickers to AI Week
DCAI's AI accelerator is one pillar of a broader strategy designed to transform Dubai into global AI capital. Several major initiatives have been launched under this vision. Introduced in January 2025, the Dubai AI Seal is the first person authentication program to identify AI companies as trusted partners for government use. Companies awarded to the seal will receive unique serial numbers and classifications that can be featured between digital and marketing platforms. AI seal certification has become a mandatory requirement for working on the UAE or Dubai government AI projects. This promotes trust and accountability in the deployment of advanced AI systems. The initiative, launched in May 2024, aims to train one million people in new fields of AI prompt engineering over three years. Participants will acquire practical skills in creating and optimizing generation AI systems prompts, which are considered the basis for the future digital workforce.The Million Promptar Initiative was built on the success of the Global Prompt Engineering Championship, launched in May 2024 under the directive of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed. It was held at the Museum of Future, attracting participants from nearly 100 countries, competing in literature, arts and coding, and awarding a million in praises promoting generative AI leadership. Hosted during Dubai AI Week, the 2025 edition attracted over 3,800 participants from 125 countries, and 24 finalists from 16 countries competed live in Dubai. Winners include Abdulrahman Al Marzooqi (UAE) in coding, Ibrahim Hajjo (Syria) in video, Ibrahim Helmie (Canada) in Gaming, and Yahya Kaddoura (Palestine) in art. Hosted by DCAI and supported by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, a digital economy, the event was awarded AED 1 million awards and served as an important feature of Dubai's growing AI talent agenda. Launched in Dubai AI Week 2025, the Academy aims to train 10,000 professionals, including government officials and business leaders, in AI leadership and applications. It is operated by DCAI and housed within the Dubai AI campus of the DIFC Innovation Hub. Educational content is provided in collaboration with:
- Oxford Said Business School
- udacity
- Minerva Project
The Academy offers courses like this AI for civil servants and Leadership in the age of AIaims to have the skills to strategically and responsibly apply AI to leaders. This curriculum combines technical knowledge with business and policy insights and coordinates AI's Dubai Universal Blueprint and DIFC 2030 strategy.Dubai AI Week, launched in April 2025, is now the second edition and another flagship initiative of the Dubai Artificial Intelligence Centre, organized by the Dubai Future Foundation under the directive of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed. The event, held from April 21st to 25th at the Museum of Future, Emirates Towers and Madinat Jumeirah, featured over 180 sessions and workshops, over 150 activations, over 140 delegations and participation from over 25 global technology companies. Headline events such as AI Retreat, AI Dubai Assembly, Global Prompt Engineering Championship, and the Dubai AI Festival's AI Week will allow you to watch the conference. This strengthened Dubai's position as a global hub of artificial intelligence that coincides with AI's Dubai Universal Blueprint.
Dubai Future Foundation: A Strategic Backbone
The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) is a government agency responsible for shaping the city's long-term innovation agenda through emerging technologies, strategic foresight and cross-sector collaboration. Founded in 2016, the foundation operates under the directive of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and serves as an umbrella organization that oversees all initiatives, programs and projects promoted by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI).From accelerators and AI academies to global accreditation schemes, talent development efforts, and flagship events such as Dubai AI Week, DFF ensures that all initiatives are outlined in Dubai's broader transformation goals, particularly the D33 Economic Agenda. Its role is not only to incubate future preparation programs, but also to incorporate governance, scalability and ethical deployments into Dubai's AI ecosystem.
Strategic Alignment: AI's D33 Agenda and Universal Blueprint
From accelerators to certifications and academies, all these efforts fall under the unified vision set out in the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence. This comprehensive strategy aims to drive digital transformation and is in line with the D33 Economic Agenda, targeting 100 billion (US$27 billion) contribution to GDP through AI and digital innovation. Blueprint's goals include:
- Embed AI in all strategic sectors
- Establishing AI and Web3 Incubators
- Appoint Chief AI Officers of all government agencies
- Start AI Week at Schools and Colleges
- Issuing commercial AI licenses
- Allocate land to AI Ready data centers
- Provide world-leading public services through AI integration
The D33 Plan positions Dubai not only as a leader in AI deployment, but also as a leader in AI governance, education, talent development and infrastructure.
