Dubai AI Week 2025 to Host World’s Largest Generative AI Championship with $272K Prize

Vehicles drive on Sheikh Zayed road after it was cleaned from flood water, backdropped by the world's tallest building of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 April 2024. (EPA)
Vehicles drive on Sheikh Zayed road after it was cleaned from flood water, backdropped by the world's tallest building of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 April 2024. (EPA)
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Dubai AI Week 2025 to Host World’s Largest Generative AI Championship with $272K Prize

Vehicles drive on Sheikh Zayed road after it was cleaned from flood water, backdropped by the world's tallest building of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 April 2024. (EPA)
Vehicles drive on Sheikh Zayed road after it was cleaned from flood water, backdropped by the world's tallest building of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 April 2024. (EPA)

Dubai is set to unite the global AI ecosystem and advance its future-readiness during a bold exploration of how artificial intelligence is reshaping our world at Dubai AI Week, taking place April 21 to 25.

The inaugural event will bring together over 10,000 participants, AI pioneers and policymakers from 100 countries to explore AI’s transformative role in business, governance, and society.

Featuring global championships, high-level summits, hackathons and an expo zone, the Week will set the stage for the future of global AI innovation.

With collaboration being integral to the success of the global AI landscape, the event joins forces with key government entities, global tech organisations and industry pioneers including Meta, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Gartner, OpenAI, Swift, Nvidia, Palantir, Cohere, and ElevenLabs.

The week opens with the AI Retreat on April 21, a closed-door gathering of global AI leaders, policymakers, and industry experts focusing on shaping AI strategies and governance frameworks.

The Dubai Assembly for AI takes place on April 21–24, where global policymakers, CEOs, and academics will shape AI’s evolving role in economies and societies.

The Global Prompt Engineering Championship will bring together leading AI practitioners to compete for a $272,000 prize pool during two days of challenges on April 22–23. Finalists will go head-to-head in four categories: Art, Video, Gaming, and Coding, showcasing their expertise in AI-driven content creation.

Advancing AI policy and governance, the Machines Can See Summit on April 23–24 will convene over 1000 participants, 20 keynotes, and expert-led discussions under the theme ‘Good AI: Making the World a Safer Place’. It will be one of the region’s most influential AI policy and ethics forums.

The Dubai AI Festival 2025 on April 23–24 will bring together 5,000 attendees, 500 investors, and 100 exhibitors under the theme ‘Enabling Digital Economies’. The festival will connect AI leaders, investors, and decision-makers to drive AI-powered transformations across industries, fostering collaboration, investment, and the unveiling of pioneering AI projects that will redefine the digital economy.

Beyond industry discussions and competitions, the Week will also focus on advancing AI literacy among students and educators through the AI Week in Schools, running April 21–25. The initiative, taking place across schools in Dubai, aims to equip future generations with fundamental AI skills.



OpenAI's Altman Says World 'Urgently' Needs AI Regulation

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman speaks at the AI Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo)
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman speaks at the AI Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo)
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OpenAI's Altman Says World 'Urgently' Needs AI Regulation

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman speaks at the AI Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo)
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman speaks at the AI Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo)

Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, told a global artificial intelligence conference on Thursday that the world "urgently" needs to regulate the fast-evolving technology.

An organization could be set up to coordinate these efforts, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), AFP quoted him as saying.

Altman is one of the hosts of top tech CEOs in New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit, the fourth annual global meeting on how to handle advanced computing power.

Frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits for many companies while fueling anxiety about the risks to individuals and the planet.

"Democratization of AI is the best way to ensure humanity flourishes," Altman said, adding that "centralization of this technology in one company or country could lead to ruin".

"This is not to suggest that we won't need any regulation or safeguards," he said. "We obviously do, urgently, like we have for other powerful technologies."

Many researchers and campaigners say stronger action is needed to combat emerging issues, ranging from job disruption to sexualized deepfakes and AI-enabled online scams.

"We expect the world may need something like the IAEA for international coordination of AI," with the ability to "rapidly respond to changing circumstances", Altman said.

"The next few years will test global society as this technology continues to improve at a rapid pace. We can choose to either empower people or concentrate power," he added.

"Technology always disrupts jobs; we always find new and better things to do."

Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT has 100 million weekly users in India, more than a third of whom are students, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, OpenAI announced with Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) a plan to build data center infrastructure in the South Asian country.


Saudi Arabia Showcases Responsible Use of AI at AI Impact Summit in India

Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
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Saudi Arabia Showcases Responsible Use of AI at AI Impact Summit in India

Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence for people, planet, and progress on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India, the Saudi Press agency reported on Wednesday.

The event drew participation from more than 70 countries and 25 international organizations, as well as senior decision-makers and technology experts.

The Saudi delegation, led by SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi, included Saudi Ambassador to India Haitham Al-Maliki and officials from relevant government entities.

The session aimed to launch a global network of specialized AI scientific institutions, accelerate discovery through advanced technologies, strengthen international cooperation among states and research bodies, and support the deployment of artificial intelligence to address global challenges and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

Deputy Chief Strategy Officer at SDAIA Dr. Abdulrahman Habib emphasized the need to unify international efforts to promote the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence, ensuring a sustainable, positive impact on societies and economies worldwide and supporting the 2030 SDGs.

He also reviewed Saudi Arabia’s data and AI initiatives, highlighting efforts to develop regulatory frameworks and national policies that balance innovation with the governance of emerging technologies, as well as applied models that have enhanced quality of life, improved government service efficiency, and advanced environmental sustainability.

SDAIA's participation in the summit underscores Saudi Arabia’s role in shaping the global future of AI and in strengthening its presence in international forums focused on advanced technologies, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes digital transformation and innovation.


Google Says to Build New Subsea Cables from India in AI Push

A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
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Google Says to Build New Subsea Cables from India in AI Push

A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra

Google announced Wednesday it would build new subsea cables from India and other locations as part of its existing $15 billion investment in the South Asian nation, which is hosting a major artificial intelligence summit this week.

The US tech giant said it would build "three subsea paths connecting India to Singapore, South Africa, and Australia; and four strategic fiber-optic routes that bolster network resilience and capacity between the United States, India, and multiple locations across the Southern Hemisphere".