36Kr Global · AI | Dubai Unveils AI Agent Initiative, Opening a New Global Growth Window for Chinese AI Firms
The development of artificial intelligence has entered a new stage. Global enterprises are no longer limited to early - stage technology trials. Instead, they are focusing on more practical issues: How can artificial intelligence improve productivity, optimize the decision - making system, strengthen the supply chain, and unlock new growth paths? The real value of artificial intelligence depends not only on the advancement of the technology itself but also on the popularity of its implementation and application across the industry and the ultimate commercial benefits it generates.
For this reason, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, recently announced the launch of a new two - year initiative to promote the implementation and application of Agent AI in Dubai's private sector.
This strategy demonstrates Dubai's pragmatic approach towards future growth: setting clear directions, mobilizing all parties, and empowering enterprises to deploy new technologies, thereby creating quantifiable commercial value. On a more macro level, the UAE plans to double the contribution of the digital economy to its GDP from 9.7% in 2022 to 19.4% in the next decade. Meanwhile, the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) proposes to create 100 billion dirhams (approximately $27 billion) in economic value annually through digital transformation. This Agent AI initiative is a core measure within this strategic framework.
Led by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, this initiative places the private sector at the core of Dubai's artificial intelligence transformation. Specific measures include: offering specialized training courses for the business councils under the chamber, establishing an Agent AI business incubator, creating development opportunities for young people, and setting up a special fund to comprehensively promote the transformation of the development vision of artificial intelligence into commercial practices across the industry.
Since 2023, the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (one of the three major chambers under the Dubai Chamber of Commerce) has helped more than 3,400 digital startups successfully establish and expand their businesses in Dubai, with a compound annual growth rate of 35% in the number of enterprises over three years. In terms of industry distribution, artificial intelligence enterprises account for 13% of the total number of supported enterprises, and international enterprises account for as high as 65%, fully highlighting Dubai's strong attraction to global digital enterprises. This growth trend further consolidates Dubai's position as the preferred destination for digital enterprises going global and provides a mature industrial ecosystem foundation for the Agent AI initiative.
For Chinese Agent AI enterprises, this transformation comes at the right time. Dubai is actively helping enterprises embrace advanced artificial intelligence applications, providing an ideal environment for the implementation of relevant Chinese technologies. Chinese innovation has already made its mark in Dubai. In 2025, at the "Expand North Star" conference, the world's largest event for investors and startups hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, about 20 Chinese startups participated in project roadshows, covering fields such as artificial intelligence, medical technology, advanced manufacturing, and green energy.
As Dubai's private sector promotes the implementation of Agent AI, the market's demand for practical solutions that can improve productivity, optimize operations, strengthen customer interaction, improve the decision - making system, and enhance supply chain resilience continues to grow. This is a clear example of Dubai's broader economic model in operation: the national leadership sets a forward - looking vision, the government and business institutions translate it into pragmatic policies, and the private sector participates directly in the implementation as a partner. This multi - party collaborative cooperation has become one of Dubai's core advantages.
This advantage is crucial because future competitiveness will depend on enterprises' ability to quickly and effectively adopt cutting - edge technologies. Markets that can support industrial transformation will surely attract investment, talent, and global partners. Dubai's early layout shows that it recognizes that artificial intelligence will become the core driving force for business performance and economic resilience.
China has demonstrated the power of large - scale innovation. Chinese enterprises are playing a leading role in multiple fields such as artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, e - commerce, electric mobility, fintech, and supply chain technology, showing how digital transformation can reshape industries and create new growth models.
Dubai provides a highly complementary platform for the next stage of cooperation. Dubai has global connectivity, advanced infrastructure, and a competitive business environment, and has direct access to rapidly growing markets such as the Middle East and Africa. At the same time, Dubai is building an agile digital economy system to support startups, growing enterprises, and mature enterprises.
The cooperation between Dubai and China is also gradually shifting from trade in goods and services to co - creating future business models. The two sides are expected to form a new cooperation model in highly compatible fields such as smart logistics, advanced manufacturing, digital trade, and intelligent business solutions.
The "Dubai Business Forum·China" to be held in Shenzhen this October will build an important platform for two - way communication. In the current context of increasingly close technological, trade, and investment ties, business leaders from the two regions will gather together. In the afternoon of this forum, a closed - door AI - themed exchange meeting will be specially held to conduct in - depth discussions on core issues such as the market prospects of the artificial intelligence track and the paths for implementation and cooperation, and to translate the strategic consensus reached at the forum into actionable business actions.
If you are interested in the closed - door AI - themed exchange meeting, please scan the QR code below or click "here" to fill out the registration form to apply for a seat. The registration information will be uniformly reviewed and screened by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and 36Kr Going Global will notify you separately to confirm your participation qualification. This meeting is limited to 20 enterprises. Enterprises that submit applications earlier will have a greater chance of obtaining the participation qualification.
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As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly important driving force for the growth of the private sector, the most competitive markets will be those that enable enterprises to apply these technologies with confidence and clear goals and generate commercial impacts.
Dubai is building such an environment, while China has profound innovation capabilities and scale advantages. The two sides have the opportunity to jointly create a new chapter of cooperation, support enterprise growth, enhance competitiveness, and create far - reaching value beyond the bilateral economy.
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The 5th "Dubai Business Forum·China" will be held in Shenzhen on October 14, 2026. With the theme of "Gathering Strength for the Future, Winning Together on a New Journey", the forum will introduce the diverse development opportunities brought by the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) to the Chinese business community and explore new paths for cooperation and strategic investment between the two sides. As a high - end platform for promoting strategic economic cooperation between Chinese and Dubai business leaders, the Dubai Business Forum·China will bring together core representatives from China's top multinational enterprises, unicorn companies, high - growth technology enterprises, venture capital institutions, and family businesses. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce will lead a top - level delegation consisting of local core enterprises, well - known family offices, leading investment institutions, and key government departments to participate. If you are interested in this year's Dubai Business Forum·China, please scan the QR code below, or click "here" to fill out the registration form to apply for a seat.
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In the current complex global economic landscape, English reporting is not only an important means of conveying value propositions to overseas customers and consumers but also a cognitive precipitation of enterprises on a global scale. The English - language media KrASIA (kr - asia.com) is committed to introducing Chinese business and culture to the world. Approximately 60% of the readers of the English website are business people from core Southeast Asian countries. Through excellent search engine optimization, professional English - language content, a reliable social media matrix, and external inclusion platforms such as the global top - tier information data platform Bloomberg Terminal and Dow Jones Factiva, KrASIA helps Chinese companies enhance their global brands. If your company has relevant needs for English - language communication or hopes to cooperate with KrASIA to provide outbound services, please scan the QR code below or click " here " to fill out the form and obtain the media service rate card of KrASIA and the contact information of the staff.
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