MBZUAI brings dedicated AI pavilion to Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is headlining this year’s Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival with a six-week program of workshops, public talks, and a competitive challenge designed to bring young people into direct contact with AI research and practice.

The University’s pavilion, the “World of AI and Innovation,” runs at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, from 6 July to 23 August 2026, daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The interactive program, structured for different audiences, runs across the first six weeks, from 6 July to 13 August 2026.

At the center of the offering is a hands-on curriculum built for young people aged 15 to 18. Workshops led by MBZUAI faculty, students, and alumni cover prompt engineering, creative AI generation across text and image, AI in gaming, and how to turn a technology idea into a viable startup. Every participant receives a certificate of participation.

The program culminates in the AI Challenge, held in the festival’s final week, where youth teams develop AI-based solutions to real problems in education, healthcare, and sustainability, and present their prototypes to a panel of judges.

Alongside the youth tracks, AI Talks open to families and the general public explore how AI is reshaping everyday life and key industries. National partners, including Abu Dhabi Gaming, the Abu Dhabi Youth Council’s Shabab AI initiative, and Young AI Leaders (YAIL), will co-lead tracks in gaming, the creative industries, youth leadership, and entrepreneurship.

The festival takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and under the direct supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.