Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence sector is growing at breakneck speed, a rapid expansion that officials say is reconfiguring the emirate as a major global centre for AI.
New figures from the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry show the emirate counted 673 AI companies between June 2023 and June 2024, a stunning 61% rise in a single year.
That growth has made Abu Dhabi the fastest-growing AI cluster in the Middle East and North Africa. But in a world dominated by a handful of established tech capitals, can the emirate truly compete with the giants?
The emirate’s push is a deliberate effort to exploit the weaknesses of the incumbents. A cornerstone of its strategy is the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first graduate-level university dedicated solely to AI, designed to cultivate and attract a deep talent pool.
By combining this focus on talent with massive government backing and a significantly lower cost of doing business, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a natural magnet for founders and investors looking for an alternative to the overheated markets of the U.S. and Europe.
The New AI Cities Nurturing Cutting Edge Tech
The new report maps out a distinct geography of artificial intelligence startups that has emerged globally, with a relatively small set of international cities concentrating the capital, talent, research institutions and corporate partners that early-stage AI companies need to scale.
While AI innovation is increasingly distributed, a handful of urban ecosystems continue to lead the arms race to have the most advanced teams.
Each hub has a unique blend of strengths covering everything from venture funding, deep research, access to data and specialized hardware or policy support, making them natural magnets for founders and investors.
Where Are the Biggest Global Hubs for AI
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