Abu Dhabi — In a landmark step toward cementing its position as a global AI leader, the UAE has announced the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, the first of its kind in the region. The initiative is a collaboration between Lakeba Group, University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), DoxAI, and AqlanX, catalyzed by the government’s NextGen FDI program led by H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade.
The Centre is designed as a strategic enabler of AI sovereignty, focusing on building the UAE’s end-to-end AI value chain — from data infrastructure and Arabic LLMs to automation across critical sectors like energy, healthcare, and education. Positioned as both an academic hub and commercialization platform, it aims to nurture local talent, accelerate R&D, foster early-stage startups, and generate intellectual property rooted in regional priorities.
Key pillars of the Centre include:
- AI Talent Incubation: Training UOWD students and faculty with clear pathways into the AqlanX ecosystem.
- Sovereign AI R&D: Developing Arabic LLMs, edge intelligence, and national-use-case platforms.
- IP Commercialisation: Launching companies and products directly from lab to market through joint ventures.
- Policy & Thought Leadership: Shaping global best practices in responsible AI, ethics, and digital trust.
The Centre will serve as AqlanX’s official R&D headquarters, aligned with the UAE National AI Strategy 2031 and the country’s Digital Economy Vision, reinforcing the Emirates’ ambition to lead in tech sovereignty and innovation.
H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said the project reflects the UAE’s national mission:
“The AI Centre of Excellence will serve as a hub for fostering future generations of AI talent and support the UAE’s efforts in developing the economy and technologies of the future.”
Industry leaders echoed its importance. Giuseppe Porcelli, CEO of Lakeba, called it a model of academia, government, and enterprise collaboration to “shape the future of civilization.” Demetrio Russo, CEO of AqlanX, said it represents “a pivotal moment for the region’s AI future, accelerating innovation through home-grown talent and local IP.”
Set to launch officially on November 17, 2025, the Centre will act as both a national innovation engine and an international signal of the UAE’s readiness to pioneer trusted, sovereign AI systems at scale.
