The United Arab Emirates has announced the creation of its first AI Centre of Excellence, a strategic move designed to accelerate innovation, nurture local talent, and bolster the country’s autonomy in artificial intelligence. The centre is a joint venture involving Lakeba Group, the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), DoxAI, and AqlanX.
Vision & Strategic Goals
The AI Centre of Excellence is intended to foster applied research, talent development, and public–private collaboration in the AI domain.
One of the core ambitions is to help the UAE build sovereign AI capabilities—from data infrastructure and large language models to localized AI applications tailored for sectors like healthcare, energy, and education.
Emphasis will be placed on the commercialization of intellectual property, enabling innovations born within the UAE to transition into products and services.
Roles of the Partner Institutions
UOWD (University of Wollongong in Dubai): Will provide academic leadership, guide research programs, manage curriculum development, and engage students and faculty in innovation initiatives.
Lakeba Group: Brings in venture-building expertise and established relationships with global technology firms, helping bridge the local and international ecosystems.
DoxAI: Will drive the engineering and automation aspects—supplying technical know-how and tools for building AI systems.
AqlanX: Will focus on deployment, infrastructure integration, and ensuring the center’s outputs align with national priorities. The center will also function as the official R&D headquarters for AqlanX.
Key Pillars & Areas of Focus
Talent Incubation – Engage students, researchers, and faculty in hands-on AI development, internships, and collaborative projects.
Sovereign R&D – Build foundational AI systems (models, data platforms) that are secure, scalable, and tailored for local context.
IP Commercialization & Startups – Support spin-outs, innovation accelerators, and market-ready transitions of research outputs.
Policy, Ethics & Trust – Contribute thought leadership in AI governance, ethics, cybersecurity, and digital trust frameworks.
Strategic & National Alignment
The initiative is part of the NextGen FDI program, led by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (UAE Minister of Foreign Trade), which encourages private sector engagement in shaping the country’s digital future.
The center complements the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031 and its broader vision for a knowledge-based economy.
Launch Timeline & Expectations
The Center’s official inauguration is scheduled for November 17, 2025, with dignitaries from government, academia, and the tech industry expected to attend.
Leading up to the launch, infrastructure setup, team formation, research agenda finalization, and partnerships will be rolled out.
Reference:
UAE launches first AI Centre of Excellence to boost local talent — PR Newswire
