Abu Dhabi Embraces AI: ADFD Partners with Inception to Drive Efficiency

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 5-02-2026

3 min

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has partnered with G42’s AI arm, Inception.

The deal, signed at the World Governments Summit, aims to upgrade ADFD’s internal operations.

AI tools will “speed up analysis” and strengthen data‑driven decision‑making.

Leaders say AI is key to resilience in a “rapidly evolving” environment.

The real test will be whether day‑to‑day use turns insights into action.

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has teamed up with Inception, the AI arm of G42, in a move that underlines how seriously public institutions in the UAE are taking artificial intelligence. The two sides signed a strategic cooperation agreement during the World Governments Summit in Abu Dhabi, with senior officials from both organisations in the room — a detail that signals this was more than just a box‑ticking exercise.

At its core, the agreement is about upgrading how ADFD works from the inside out. The plan is to lean on AI tools to improve operational efficiency, speed up analysis and evaluation, and sharpen data‑driven decision‑making. If you’ve ever sat in a meeting waiting for reports or performance dashboards to be pulled together, you’ll know why this matters. I’ve seen startups across the MENA region wrestle with the same challenge, and when the data finally clicks, it’s a real lightbulb moment — spot on, actually.

The document was signed by ADFD director‑general Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi and Inception chief executive Ashish Koshy. Al Suwaidi described artificial intelligence as a key enabler for stronger analytical capabilities and more timely decisions, while also helping institutions stay resilient in what he called a rapidly evolving operating environment. Koshy, for his part, framed the partnership as a way to deploy Inception’s AI capabilities to streamline execution and support ADFD’s long‑term development goals.

That said, not everyone is automatically chuffed to bits when they hear another government body talking about AI. I reckon the real test will be in how these tools are applied day to day — performance monitoring, governance, even how human capital is “empowered”, a phrase we hear a lot. On the flip side, Inception’s track record in building applied AI products, rather than experimental tech, suggests this may avoid becoming a bit of a faff.

For readers of Arageek, the bigger picture is familiar. Across the region, public funds and development institutions are modernising their internal toolkits and leaning into high‑impact partnerships. And believe it or not, these less flashy back‑office changes often have the longest ripple effects for founders and entrepreneurs on the ground. If ADFD can really turn data and insights into action, the downstream impact on development projects could be significnt — well… that’s the bet being made.

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