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What To Know
- Machines Can Think 2026 is set to take place on January 26 and 27 in Abu Dhabi, bringing together global technology leaders, policymakers, and enterprise decision-makers for focused discussions on real-world artificial intelligence deployment.
- The UAE has concentrated on closing this execution gap by integrating AI directly into government services and national strategies through the Ministry of State for Artificial Intelligence.
- Ranked third globally for attracting AI talent, the UAE continues to align education policy with workforce demand to maintain competitiveness in an AI-driven economy.
What global leaders will address at Abu Dhabi’s Machines Can Think summit in January 2026
Machines Can Think 2026 is set to take place on January 26 and 27 in Abu Dhabi, bringing together global technology leaders, policymakers, and enterprise decision-makers for focused discussions on real-world artificial intelligence deployment. As AI adoption continues to accelerate globally, attention has shifted from experimentation toward execution, governance, and economic relevance. The summit arrives at a moment when artificial intelligence already influences public services, energy, education, and investment strategies across the region. With the UAE positioned as an early adopter of AI, the event highlights how national planning and operational delivery now shape the next phase of growth.
National AI Fabric Takes Priority
One of the central topics outlined ahead of the summit is the concept of a national AI fabric. According to Alexander Khanin, Founder of Machines Can See and Polynome, large-scale AI adoption slows when data, compute, governance, and talent function separately. The national AI fabric approach focuses on integrating infrastructure, regulation, and human capability into a unified national framework. The UAE has already demonstrated this direction through a full-scale virtual replica of the Ministry of Economy headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The virtual environment allows global users to enter through digital tickets, interact through avatars, and execute legally binding agreements in real time. This initiative illustrates how coordinated planning supports AI deployment across multiple sectors.
AI Moves Into Economic Delivery
Another major focus at Machines Can Think 2026 centers on shifting AI from capability development into economic delivery. Scalable data platforms and compute resources create value only when AI tools are embedded into day-to-day workflows. The UAE has concentrated on closing this execution gap by integrating AI directly into government services and national strategies through the Ministry of State for Artificial Intelligence. Public and private collaboration plays a central role in this effort. Organisations that successfully operationalize AI report profit growth of up to 40 percent, reinforcing the commercial importance of execution rather than experimentation.
Education and Workforce Readiness
Education reform represents a key pillar of the summit agenda. AI adoption continues to outpace workforce readiness, creating skills gaps that affect productivity. The UAE has introduced AI education across all government schools from kindergarten through Grade 12, positioning AI as a core competency. This approach involves coordinated action between government bodies, educators, and technology providers. Teacher training, ethical frameworks, and classroom integration remain central to the strategy. Ranked third globally for attracting AI talent, the UAE continues to align education policy with workforce demand to maintain competitiveness in an AI-driven economy.
Energy, Investment, and Governance
Energy transformation through AI will also feature prominently at the summit. AI applications now support predictive maintenance, reservoir modeling, emissions tracking, and autonomous operations within the energy sector. OPEC forecasts that the Middle East will supply nearly 60 percent of global oil exports by 2050, placing digital efficiency at the center of long-term planning. Leaders from ADNOC, Saudi Aramco Digital, Shell, and SLB are expected to discuss AI use within production and decarbonization strategies.
Investment strategy forms another discussion point. As AI becomes infrastructure-heavy and slower to monetize, traditional unicorn-focused investment models face pressure. Machines Can Think 2026 will explore ecosystem-level capital strategies that focus on infrastructure, platforms, and long-term value creation. Ethical governance also remains a central theme. The UAE has appointed Chief AI Officers across government entities and embedded accountability into AI decision-making. Coordinated oversight supports scalable adoption while maintaining institutional trust.
Machines Can Think 2026 will host discussions spanning more than 50 topics focused on practical AI deployment, governance frameworks, and economic impact. Taking place in Abu Dhabi, the summit places UAE at the center of global AI execution dialogue. As AI shifts deeper into public services, energy, education, and investment, the event signals how national coordination now defines progress. Machines Can Think 2026 positions the region as a focal point for the next phase of artificial intelligence delivery.
