Abu Dhabi Summit Focuses on AI Safety, Rapid Technology Growth, and Governance

Abu Dhabi is cementing its status as a major regional development hub for artificial intelligence, welcoming thousands of visitors for the two-day Ai Everything summit on Tuesday. Among the 180 scheduled speakers discussing the latest tech developments are Arthur Mensch, co-founder and chief executive of Mistral AI, and Marc Raibert, founder of Boston Dynamics, whose respective companies focus on generative AI and robotics.

The event arrives in the UAE at a critical juncture as governments and corporations worldwide seek methods to maintain control over a rapidly evolving technology that drew massive investments in 2026. Safety concerns and the rapid rise of AI have dominated recent discussions, alongside ongoing worries regarding unequal opportunities for women in the sector. Held at Adnec and hosted by the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE), the summit aligns with the Abu Dhabi government's goal to transform into the world’s first AI-native government by 2027, integrating more than 40 government entities into a single AI-driven ecosystem.

More than 100 AI use cases are already live across the emirate’s public services, supported by a $3.54 billion investment programme aimed at fostering AI-led public services, economic value creation, and responsible deployment. Wesam Lootah, director general of GovDigital (DGE), noted that Abu Dhabi is redefining public services for millions of people and businesses by establishing a blueprint for intelligent governance at scale.

The summit will also address future jobs, including the creation of new roles and the elimination of positions made redundant by emerging technologies. LinkedIn analysis indicates that AI-related job postings have doubled since 2023, offering attractive remuneration. AI engineers have surpassed machine learning engineers as the most common AI role on LinkedIn, with a typical AI posting offering a salary of around $177,000 compared to $80,000 for non-AI roles.

However, a persistent gender imbalance remains within the sector. In the US, women accounted for only 25 per cent of AI hires in 2025, compared to 50 per cent in non-AI occupations. Across 27 countries, women hold just 13 per cent of C-suite leadership roles at AI companies. Similarly, at US President Donald Trump’s recent AI summit at the White House, only two of the 31 invited guests and business leaders were women.

As companies direct their investments toward AI, pressure to deliver measurable returns is mounting. Ai Everything Abu Dhabi addresses this demand through a broad showcase of live AI use cases and applications spanning public services, banking, health care, energy, and education. Trixie LohMirmand, chief executive of Ai Everything, emphasized that the true impact of AI lies in transforming science, services, and society as Abu Dhabi builds the necessary infrastructure, institutions, and global partnerships.