Dubai to host AI competition with $272,000 prize at Dubai Future Week

Dubai has announced a series of artificial intelligence and robotics competitions in November, including a contest in which 20 AI experts will compete for a $272,000 prize.

The competitions will form part of ‘The Challenge’, an initiative unveiled by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) ahead of Dubai Future Week. The event brings together talent in AI, robotics and emerging technologies to test their technical skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities.

The initiative aims to move beyond discussions about emerging technologies, challenging participants to demonstrate what they can build and deliver in real time.

One of its main competitions, AI Grandmaster, will see 20 AI practitioners compete live through a series of elimination rounds that test AI orchestration, product thinking, integration and measurable outcomes under pressure.

The competition builds on the Global Prompt Engineering Championship 2025, which attracted more than 3,800 applications from 125 countries. This year’s edition will move beyond prompt engineering to assess participants’ ability to combine AI tools and develop practical solutions.

The competition will culminate in a final round, with one winner receiving AED 1 million ($272,000) and the title of Dubai AI Grandmaster.

The Challenge will also host the finals of the fourth Emirates Robotics Competition, where university teams from across the UAE will compete to develop an autonomous library assistant capable of identifying, handling and delivering books.

Organized by Dubai Future Labs, part of DFF, the competition will see teams use the same robotic platform while developing their own software to control the machines. Their capabilities in perception, grasp planning, navigation and autonomy will be put to the test, making software development and problem-solving the key differentiators.

The teams will demonstrate their systems during the live finals at Dubai Future Week, where their robots will be tested on their ability to complete the assigned tasks.

The Challenge will sit within “How We’ll Innovate,” one of five tracks at Dubai Future Week exploring how advances in science and technology could shape the future.

Dubai Future Week will take place from November 18 to 21, 2026, across Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future. Held under the theme “For the Human of the Future,” the event is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants to explore how technology could change the way people live, think, innovate, feel and do business.

Beyond AI and robotics, the program will explore developments in quantum computing, biotechnology, materials science, automation, space technology and scientific research, examining how advances in these fields could be applied to practical challenges.

The four-day event will also feature more than 100 prototypes, startup pitches, workshops, policy discussions and exhibitions, alongside live competitions and interactive experiences.