Artificial intelligence is entering its next chapter in enterprise. For the past two years, organizations have focused on proving that AI can generate. The challenge now is to prove that AI can act—execute tasks, make decisions within defined guardrails, and coordinate work across business functions with minimal human intervention.

That transition from assistants to autonomous systems is the defining theme of the AI Research Forum (AIRF) 2026, organized by MIT Sloan Management Review Middle East on October 22, 2026, in Dubai.

Returning for its second edition under the theme Agentic AI: From Mandate to Momentum, the forum comes at a time when the UAE and the broader Middle East are accelerating the shift from AI ambition to enterprise adoption. Agentic AI is no longer confined to innovation labs or pilot projects. National AI strategies, enterprise investment, and advances in compute infrastructure are pushing organizations toward real-world deployment.

The agenda itself provides a snapshot of where enterprise AI is headed.

AIRF will examine what it actually takes to deploy autonomous agents in production environments—and why many enterprises remain stuck between experimentation and execution.

The event begins with The AIRF Agentic AI Readiness Pulse, presenting independent research by MIT SMR Middle East into how organizations across the region are responding to the UAE’s agentic AI agenda. Instead of measuring enthusiasm, the session will focus on readiness: where budgets are moving, how governance is evolving, and which enterprises have successfully moved agents into production.

From there, discussions shift toward organizational transformation. Sessions such as “The Agentic Enterprise: Redesigning Decision Rights for an AI That Doesn’t Wait” explore a question many leadership teams are only beginning to confront: what changes when AI systems are no longer recommending actions but taking them?

Another notable trend reflected in the agenda is the growing emphasis on enterprise architecture.

Sessions also focus on why agentic AI requires a fundamentally different technology stack. Topics such as infrastructure for continuous inference, orchestration frameworks, integration layers, and multi-agent coordination highlight a reality that is becoming increasingly clear across industries: successful agentic AI depends as much on engineering and systems design as it does on foundation models.

Security and governance also emerge as central themes throughout the program.

Panels examining accountability, autonomous decision-making, and enterprise security acknowledge that as AI gains greater operational autonomy, organizations must rethink identity management, auditability, permissions, and risk ownership. The question is no longer whether AI can act autonomously, but how enterprises remain accountable when it does.

The agenda also reflects the growing maturity of enterprise conversations around AI investment.

Instead of focusing on proofs of concept, sessions such as “From Pilot to Production: What ‘Two Years’ Actually Means for Transformation Budgets” will examine the economics of scaling autonomous systems. Enterprise leaders will discuss how budgets are shifting from experimentation toward production infrastructure, governance, and long-term operational capability.

Practical implementation remains another defining thread throughout the day.

Executives from organizations including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Al-Futtaim Automotive, Al Tayer Insignia, Apparel Group, InsuranceMarket.ae, and Aster Hospital will share how agentic AI is being deployed across their respective sectors. The discussions will focus on lessons learned from deploying AI in real operating environments.

The forum also brings together global academic expertise, including Harang Ju, Co-Director of the AI Agent Lab and Digital Fellow at MIT, as well as regional enterprise leaders shaping AI adoption across the Gulf.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, AIRF 2026 is supported by Dataiku as the AI Success Partner, SIA as the Panel Partner, and Everpure as the Silver Partner.

Ultimately, the AIRF agenda signals how and why enterprises are moving from mandate to momentum. AIRF 2026 will offer a timely look at how that transformation is unfolding—and what it will take for organizations to lead the next era of enterprise AI.

MIT Sloan Management Review Middle East invites you to the second edition of AI Research Forum — “Agentic AI: From Mandate to Momentum” taking place on 22 October 2026 in Dubai. 

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