Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, with 150 new AI firms launched in the first half of 2025 alone. According to the Abu Dhabi Chamber, the emirate now hosts 673 AI companies—a 61% increase from June 2023 to June 2024—making it one of the world’s most concentrated AI ecosystems amid approximately 90,904 global AI companies.
The emirate stands as the fastest growing AI centre in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), driven by innovation, enterprise, and cutting-edge research. Anchoring this growth is the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first graduate-level, research-focused AI university, renowned for programs in machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and data science.
Abu Dhabi’s AI ecosystem thrives on collaboration among key institutions such as the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Hub71, G42, and Space42 GIQ. These bodies collectively advance AI adoption across sectors including healthcare, logistics, finance, and education, with open-source AI models enhancing global innovation.
Over 58% of Abu Dhabi’s AI companies focus on innovation, research, and consultancy, highlighting a mature, research-driven environment. Shamis Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Second Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, emphasized the ecosystem’s unique collaboration between government, business, and research, fostering sustained innovation.
Supporting this momentum is the Abu Dhabi Chamber’s 2025-2028 strategic roadmap prioritizing ease of business, policy advocacy, and ecosystem connectivity. The newly formed Advocacy Working Group on AI and Technology gathers sector leaders to shape Abu Dhabi’s AI future, cementing the emirate’s competitive edge as a global innovation powerhouse.
