Dubai – In 2026, Dubai will host a landmark global event that brings together the foremost thinkers in academia, business, technology, philosophy, art, and science to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the next 70 years. The event, part of Dubai AI Week 2026, will be titled AI@70: Towards a Global Humanity. This groundbreaking gathering aims to address the philosophical and ethical questions surrounding AI and its transformative role in society.
The event, which marks the 70th anniversary of the Dartmouth Workshop of 1956—the moment AI was officially established as a field of study—will be officially supported by Dartmouth College, the prestigious US Ivy League university where the original meetings took place. The event is set to be a pivotal moment for AI’s next chapter, bringing together world leaders in the field to discuss and envision the next milestones in AI development.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Dubai Future Foundation, expressed his vision for the event, stating, “Dubai believes in the power of knowledge sharing, global cooperation, and meaningful partnerships to anticipate the future of AI. Our goal is to harness this transformative technology to improve lives and advance societies.”
He further emphasized, “AI is the transformative technology of our time. It has the power to redefine what it means to be human, reshape our work, and transform the infrastructure of humanity. To fully unlock AI’s potential, we will bring together the brightest minds from around the world, ensuring that AI is a force for positive and inclusive development. This event will place Dubai at the heart of the global AI conversation, blending our rich philosophical heritage with new technological breakthroughs that benefit humanity.”
AI@70 will serve as the precursor to the creation of the ‘Humanity Lab,’ a unique incubator designed to merge art, philosophy, and technology over an eight-week program at the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) Dubai AI Campus. This incubator aims to foster the development of innovative AI products that reflect the profound changes AI is bringing to human society.
The event will lay the foundation for a radical research agenda, addressing the most pressing scientific, philosophical, ethical, and societal questions regarding AI. By aligning technological advancements with philosophical innovation, AI@70 will offer new insights into the current transformations AI is driving, shaping an inventory of possible futures previously thought impossible.
AI@70 will be organized by the DIFC in collaboration with global advisory firm APCO. The event’s steering committee includes key stakeholders from DIFC, APCO, and other experts in the field of artificial intelligence. The conference aims to set the agenda for the next generation of entrepreneurs and artists exploring new paradigms enabled by AI.
