Abu Dhabi to Host World's Largest AI-First Expo in 2026, Showcasing Global AI Leadership

Abu Dhabi is set to host the world’s largest AI-first Expo and Summit, Ai Everything Abu Dhabi, from October 6-7, 2026, at the ADNEC Centre. This event aims to showcase the emirate's accelerated role in applied AI, large-scale compute infrastructure, and real-world deployment, reinforcing its ambition to become a global intelligence powerhouse.

Organised by inD and hosted by the Department of Government Enablement — Abu Dhabi (DGE), the sold-out event will convene over 400 AI infrastructure builders, model makers, unicorns, and startups, alongside 200-plus investors managing US$91 billion in assets. More than 50 UAE government entities will participate, led by the DGE, highlighting public sector AI use-cases.

Leading the 'New Intelligence Order'

The summit's theme, 'The New Intelligence Order from Abu Dhabi, The AI Capital of the World', will demonstrate how AI translates into tangible business returns and economic value through evidence-based research, new models, and live industry use-cases. This comes as global AI spending is projected to reach nearly US$2.59 trillion this year, a 47% increase from 2025, according to Gartner.

Key speakers include Arthur Mensch, Co-Founder & CEO of Mistral AI (valued at over €21 billion), and Marc Raibert, Founder of Boston Dynamics, who will make their first joint appearance in the UAE to discuss sovereign AI, new alliances, and industrial intelligence.

Abu Dhabi's AI-Native Government Initiative

The DGE is spearheading Abu Dhabi Government's transformation into the world’s first AI-native government by 2027. This initiative integrates over 40 government entities into a unified AI-driven ecosystem, with more than 100 AI use-cases already operational across public services. A US$3.54 billion investment programme underpins this push towards AI-led public services, economic value creation, and responsible deployment.

"Abu Dhabi will become the world’s first AI-native government next year, and the evidence is already clear in the way we're redefining public services for millions of people and businesses. We have built the blueprint, and Ai Everything Abu Dhabi is our invitation to the world to examine it, to see what intelligent governance looks like at scale, and the enormous benefits it delivers to people's lives today."

Solutions+, a Mubadala company, will serve as the Global Partner, aiming to bridge national ambition with operational delivery by integrating sovereign infrastructure, enterprise platforms, and expertise to embed AI into real services. G42 will also present its 'Intelligence Grid' model for building AI-native societies, emphasising the practical application of AI at a societal scale.