MBZUAI’s Global AI Leadership Program equips UAE leaders for the AI era

MBZUAI’s inaugural Global AI Leadership Program (GAILP) concluded last week in Abu Dhabi after five days of intensive sessions, high-level discussions, and immersive experiences designed to prepare decision-makers for the AI era. 

Hosted by The Academy – MBZUAI’s executive education and think tank arm –  the program brought together 46 participants from across the UAE’s public and private sectors, including senior executives, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.  

During the week, the program delivered insights, frameworks and practical tools designed to equip leaders with the understanding and tools that they need to drive AI adoption and transformation within their organizations, throughout their industries, and across the UAE. 

Modules spanned AI foundations, strategic leadership, sectoral impact, innovation, and governance – delivered by world-class faculty from MBZUAI, MIT Sloane School of Management, and NYU, as well as industry experts from ADNOC and Palantir.  

A highlight of the program was a presentation by His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office. 

“For decision-makers shaping organizations and the future of their companies, it’s absolutely essential to understand the potential of AI and how to use it – how to take it from theory to practice, and understand what the challenges are,” said instructor Luis Videgaray, Senior Lecturer and Director of MIT AI Policy for the World Project at MIT Sloan School of Management.  

“I don’t think any executive in any country in any industry can be successful in the world today without having a real understanding of AI.” 

Fellow instructor Anasse Bari, Professor of Computer Science and Director of Predictive Analysis and AI Research Lab at NYU, added: “While it might feel overwhelming to keep up with the exponential advancements of AI, I do believe it’s essential for leaders to understand its capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses.  

“The problem is that technology evolves much faster than our linear plans … so instead of ‘plan and execute’, we need to envision, experiment, and learn emergently. Organizations that thrive will be those whose leaders combine innovation with responsibility, align with purpose, and build adaptive human-centered strategies that embrace change rather than resist it.” 

Enhancing the UAE’s AI ecosystem 

GAILP reflects a key principle for MBZUAI: helping to build and develop a rich and robust AI ecosystem for the UAE. As such, the program aims to ensure its impact is felt beyond the classroom – enabling public and private sector leaders to apply the latest knowledge in real-world contexts, and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a global AI leader. 

Participants began their journey with a foundation in AI led by Mohamed Yaqub, Associate Professor of Computer Vision at MBZUAI, who introduced deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and large language models.  

H.E. Omar Al Olama discussed the UAE’s AI and digital economy strategies, complemented by a session from Saqr Bin Ghalib, Executive Director of the UAE Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office.  

CEO and founder of Opinno, Pedro Moneo, examined new paradigms of leadership in the AI era; Jack Dobson, Commercial Artificial Intelligence Platform Lead at Palantir, led sessions on AI-powered automation for operational decisions; and Bari delivered a two-part ‘AI for Executives’ workshop. 

The cohort also immersed themselves in sector-specific applications. At ADNOC headquarters, the company’s Vice President Majed Al Fulaiti showcased AI’s role in the energy sector, followed by a session on neuroscience and AI with Olivier Oullier, Visiting Professor of Practice at MBZUAI. Cutting-edge innovations were further explored in sessions on ‘AI in use’ by Haochen Sun, Associate Director of Strategic Projects at MBUZAI, and Hao Li, Director of Metaverse Center and Professor of Computer Vision at MBZUAI. 

Videgaray – who served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of his native Mexico – guided a module on AI policy and government adoption, and the program concluded with an AI Agentic Lab, led by Steve Liu, Associate Vice President of Research and Professor of Computer Science and Machine Learning at MBZUAI. 

“The program gave us a flavor of the impact in government, civil society, and the corporate world – everything from everyday experiences of  interacting with AI to a 100,000 feet view of how it would look in your organization,” said Zubaida Bai, President & CEO of the U.S.- based Grameen Foundation. “I’m going back with a lot of wisdom on how to be a better AI professional. 

“From a personal perspective, this program has given me the tools to be a much more efficient person. And from an organizational perspective, it has given me the frame of reference of where the future of AI lies, the timeline, and the tools and knowledge to stay up to date with the fast-moving pace of AI.” 

Rachel Ann Conlan, Global CMO and Management Committee Member of Binance, added: “For me, what was most interesting was the insight of the companionship that exists between AI and human capital. This is not a case of AI replacing humans or replacing the workforce. It’s how we work together to use AI to optimize and improve our day-to-day, whether professional or personal.” 

The next Global AI Leadership Program starts in February 2026, with applications open now. For more information, and to submit your application, visit The Academy website.