MBZUAI’s Global AI Leadership Program returns with expanded second edition

MBZUAI has concluded the second edition of its Global AI Leadership Program (GAILP), equipping senior decision-makers in the UAE with the tools, insights, context, and confidence required to lead in an AI-driven world.

Held at the University’s Masdar City campus in Abu Dhabi – with field trips to ADNOC and the UAE AI office – the five-day program brought together leaders from government, industry, and the wider innovation ecosystem. The 36-strong cohort included one Sheikh, five Excellencies, seven executive directors, one ambassador, a president, and 10 members of the C-suite, among others.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition last November, the program placed an emphasis on practical decision-making, cross-sector perspectives, and the real-world constraints that leaders face as AI systems move from experimentation to deployment.

MBZUAI faculty and guest speakers led the program’s modules. Faculty included Hao Li, Dean of Undergraduate Division, Director of the Metaverse Center, and Professor of Computer Vision; and Nancy Gleason, Director of Undergraduate Academic Excellence and Professor of Practice of Political Science. Guest speakers included His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office; and Majed Al Fulaiti, Vice President of ADNOC.

Alumni from cohort one – as well as previous editions of GAILP’s predecessor, the MBZUAI Executive Program – also joined selected sessions to share their experiences and enrich discussions.

“Not just a conversation”

GAILP’s sessions focused on AI fundamentals, data-driven prediction, workforce transformation, governance, and the future of human-machine collaboration. Across the program, participants were encouraged not only to understand what AI can do, but also to interrogate how it should be used, governed, and integrated safely and ethically.

“What I’ve taken away from this program is the fact that AI is not just a conversation now,” said participant Shamsa Alfalasi, Executive Director of Transformation and Development, Artificial Intelligence Team Leader, Presidential Court. “This is not something that you hear in presentations or on panels – this is actual reality that we’re living in.”

“One of the things that we need to recognize is that AI is here to stay,” added another of the guest speakers – Hong Kong-based investor K.O. Chia. “It affects all industries and all sectors. It’s actually going to help us improve productivity in our work, and also bring a new era of learning and relearning.”

In agreement, participant Ali Buhaji, Partner at KPMG, said that the program taught him more about AI’s capabilities, and growing influence in the workplace: “The most valuable insight for me personally was to understand how fast the technology is developing day by day and how it will be deployed across different sectors within the UAE – especially the government sector.”

For Gleason, there were three key aspects that she hoped the cohort would take away with them.

“The most important messages are that: one, they should be expecting a ChatGPT-level disruption every year for the next 10 years. Two, lifelong learning is the antidote to becoming obsolete and enables people to stay ahead. And three, we’re privileged to be in the UAE. We get to lead because our leaders have made the infrastructure available for us to change the world.”

The third cohort of GAILP has been scheduled for Fall 2026. Please visit The Academy to learn more about its expanded format, and apply for your place.

Day one highlights

Day two highlights

Day three highlights

Day four highlights

Day five highlights