The UAE is emerging as one of the world’s most ambitious adopters of agentic AI. The country has introduced what it describes as the world’s first “Agentic AI Government” initiative, while enterprise adoption remains among the highest globally. It aims to convert 50% of federal government operations, procedures, and services to AI-powered models within two years.

This national focus on AI has propelled local companies ahead: 38% of UAE organizations are now deploying agentic AI solutions, among the highest rates globally. However, in the age of agentic AI, leadership is no longer defined by strategy alone — it’s defined by execution.

At this defining moment, MIT Sloan Management Review Middle East brings the second edition of its AI Research Forum (AIRF) to Dubai, following the success of its inaugural edition.

“AIRF brings research rigor to the boardrooms where AI strategy is being shaped,” says Ravi Raman, Publisher of MIT Sloan Management Review Middle East. “The scale of deployment across government and public services, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail in the region is unprecedented. Organizations navigating this shift need frameworks built for scale, and that’s the gap AIRF exists to close.”

Beyond the Pilot: A Forum for What Sticks

For companies in the UAE, the competitive edge lies with those that can operationalize AI. Ultimately, the upper hand is with those who can move fastest from experimentation to execution, deploying agents that don’t simply answer questions but actually get work done. 

Under the theme “Agentic AI: From Mandate to Momentum,” AIRF Dubai 2026, slated for October 22, will move past the adoption conversation to examine the technology stack that determines whether agentic AI scales: infrastructure and compute, orchestration and frameworks, security tooling, and the integration layer connecting agents to the business.

Building on a Strong Debut

While the 2025 edition put AI agents in the spotlight as an emerging technology, this year the focus shifts to how organizations are turning the agentic AI mandate into deployment capability.

AIRF 2026 will examine the entire agentic AI journey—from mandate to production. The forum will explore where the region stands today, how agentic AI is reshaping decision rights, accountability, budgets, and governance, and the infrastructure, orchestration, and security required to deploy it at scale. It will also draw lessons from early adopters while examining the unresolved challenges on the road to 2028.

The forum will convene CIOs, CTOs, CAIOs, digital transformation leaders, researchers, policymakers, and technology innovators to discuss the practical realities of building agentic AI systems. 

Why AIRF Stands Apart

As the region’s only forum dedicated to agentic AI, AIRF serves as a platform where decision-makers exchange ideas, share real-world implementation experiences, and help shape the future of enterprise AI worldwide.

With over 300 leaders, global experts, and innovators in attendance, the 2025 edition brought together a world-class lineup of thought leaders, innovators, and professors who are actively shaping the evolution of agentic AI. These included marquee names such as Dylan Hadfield-Menell and  Tim Kraska of MIT, Kaustubh Wagle of BCG, Srimanth Rudraraju of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), and Awad Ahmed Ali El-Sidiq of Adnoc Distribution. The forum doesn’t just promise a platform; it promises new ideas and connections. 

Set against the backdrop of the UAE’s path to becoming a global leader in AI, AIRF 2026 will explore a singular, critical question: what’s actually being built and deployed—and by whom.

To partner, speak, or attend AIRF Dubai, click here.