Dubai has set an ambitious new benchmark for its artificial intelligence sector, with Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed approving fresh targets at the opening of the Dubai AI Festival. The emirate now aims to attract more than 1,000 specialised AI companies and create over 5,000 skilled jobs by 2030, through the Dubai AI Campus based at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The announcement marks a sharp upgrade from the programme's original goals, which were already met two years ahead of schedule. The campus has so far drawn more than 500 specialised firms and attracted over AED 1 billion in investment since its launch, officials said.
"We have now set our sights even higher, with a new target of attracting more than 1,000 specialised companies by 2030," Sheikh Hamdan said, adding that Dubai intends to stay "at the forefront of AI and shaping the future of the global economy."
The expanded target reflects Dubai's broader push to position itself as a global technology and AI hub, alongside the UAE's wider investments in data infrastructure and AI champions such as G42. Officials believe the sector's rapid growth could generate thousands of specialised roles for engineers, data scientists and AI researchers relocating to the emirate.
This year's Dubai AI Festival drew dozens of technology firms, start-ups and investors from around the world, cementing its place as one of the key fixtures on Dubai's innovation calendar. Analysts say the DIFC campus's track record of outpacing its own targets gives credibility to the new 2030 goals, as Dubai competes with regional hubs such as Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to attract AI talent and capital.