Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, toured GITEX GLOBAL 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre on October 14 — the opening day of the world's largest technology and startup event. The visit underscored Dubai's ambition to become a global leader in artificial intelligence as the emirate pursues its most ambitious economic growth agenda yet.
Sheikh Mohammed Opens GITEX GLOBAL 2024
His Highness walked the vast exhibition halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre, where the 44th edition of GITEX GLOBAL attracted over 6,500 exhibitors from more than 180 countries — the highest international participation in the event's history, representing a nearly 40 percent increase over the previous year.
The event, running from October 14 to 18, 2024, was themed "Global Collaboration to Forge a Future AI Economy" and brought together technology enterprises, governments, investors, startups, academics, and researchers from around the world. More than 120 hours of AI-focused programming anchored the five-day agenda.
Pavilions Visited and Discussions Held
During his tour, Sheikh Mohammed visited pavilions from major global technology companies, including Etisalat, Huawei, H3C, Oracle, G42, Microsoft, and IBM. At each stop, he engaged directly with industry leaders and senior executives, exploring the latest advances in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital transformation.
He was accompanied by His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, along with Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre, and other senior government officials.
Dubai's Vision for AI Leadership
Addressing the UAE's strategic direction, Sheikh Mohammed stated: "As the UAE embarks on a new phase of economic growth, driven by strategic investments in future industries, the nation is rapidly consolidating its position as a global hub for advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence."
The ruler emphasised that GITEX GLOBAL serves as a living proof of the UAE's technological ambitions — a platform where government vision meets private-sector innovation on a global stage.
GITEX 2024 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33
Sheikh Mohammed's visit reinforced the central role GITEX plays in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the emirate's long-range blueprint to double its GDP and generate AED 100 billion annually from digital transformation by 2033. Dubai already ranks among the world's top destinations for foreign direct investment in AI, and events like GITEX accelerate that trajectory by attracting international capital, talent, and partnerships.
The 2024 edition highlighted AI as a transformative tool reshaping industries from healthcare and logistics to finance and smart city management — with GITEX providing the global stage for those conversations to turn into concrete collaborations.
