Dubai AI Campus aims to attract more than 1,000 AI firms by 2030. It also plans to create over 5,000 highly skilled jobs.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, approved the goals at the third Dubai AI Festival.

Based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the campus opened in May 2024.

Since then, more than 500 AI firms have joined. That means it met its 2028 goal two years early.

According to DIFC, these firms have raised over AED1 billion from private equity and venture capital funds. The campus has helped create more than 2,000 technology jobs.

More than 20,000 people from over 100 countries attended the festival at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

At the event, Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai seeks to support AI with advanced infrastructure, flexible regulation and access to global talent.

“AI is becoming an integral part of the global economy, transforming how companies operate, capital is deployed and financial services are delivered,”

said Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer at DIFC Authority.

His comments come as DIFC works to build AI into its legal and business systems.

During his visit, Sheikh Hamdan reviewed plans for a new campus building in DIFC’s Zabeel District.

Spanning 100,000 sq ft, it will offer GPU-ready systems and secure zones for building AI. Its design includes digital twins, which are virtual models used to test real systems.

Inside, AI Labs will let public bodies and private firms build and test AI tools before wider use.

The building will also house conference rooms and an AI Experience Centre open to the public.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News UAE, based on image by DIFC via its website and mrsiraphol via Magnific.