Dubai Future Forum 2025: Immersive Tech Explores Tomorrow’s Innovations

Editorial Team

Last updated 14-11-2025

4 min

Dubai Future Forum 2025 at the Museum of the Future features over 200 speakers globally.

The event includes themes like *Exploring the Unknown*, with immersive AI, VR, and AR experiences.

High-level discussions include *Building a Regenerative Society* and *Governance for the Long Term*.

Day two focuses on people-centric smart cities, young people shaping inclusive futures, and workshops.

The forum highlights innovations with the Dubai Future Solutions and Prototypes for Humanity Awards.

The buzz around Dubai’s startup and innovation scene is reaching new heights as the **Dubai Future Forum 2025** rolls out an ambitious programme — more than seventy sessions, hands-on immersions, and a celebration of future-focused thinkers. Set to unfold at the iconic *Museum of the Future*, the two-day event, curated by the **Dubai Future Foundation (DFF)**, will welcome over 200 speakers and some 2,500 participants representing 100 institutions from across the globe. Not your average conference, this gathering is a deep dive into what’s next for humanity — in tech, health, governance, and beyond.

The themes this year are wide-ranging: *Exploring the Unknown*, *Empowering Societies*, *Reimagining Health*, *Optimising Systems*, and *Foresight Insights*. What caught my attention (and I reckon it’ll catch yours too) is that it’s not just another line-up of talking heads. The forum is venturing into immersive experiences using **AI**, **Virtual Reality (VR)**, and **Augmented Reality (AR)** — making it possible for attendees to quite literally step into the future, not just hear about it.

Day one kicks off with a keynote by **His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul**, CEO of DFF, setting the tone for high-level discussions around global foresight. Sessions like *Building a Regenerative Society* and *Governance for the Long Term* will explore how humanity might handle intergenerational fairness — a theme that feels more relevant than ever. Later, thought leaders such as **Dr. Giulio Tononi** and **Dr. Anil Seth** are set to peel back the layers of human consciousness in what promises to be a mind-bending panel (no pun intended).

Personally, I love how Dubai events always balance ambition with structure. It can be a bit of a faff getting your head around all that’s on the schedule, but once you dig in, it’s clear each session fits neatly into the bigger story — how foresight turns into real-world innovation. The first day will close with the **Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity Awards**, spotlighting inventions that could reshape industries and communities alike.

Day two seems no less energetic. **Marwan Bin Ghalita** from Dubai Municipality will shed light on people-centric smart cities, while **Anand Varma** — yes, the National Geographic photographer — will speak on nature and human wonder, a nice reminder that technology and ecology aren’t mutually exclusive. Parallel sessions will discuss how young people and artists can shape inclusive futures — something that resonates with us at *Arageek*, given how much we champion MENA’s emerging creative entrepreneurs. I’ve seen firsthand how a bold idea from a student lab in Amman or Cairo can ripple out far wider than expected.

Between the talks, the forum comes to life through installations like *Future Botanica* and *Aura Forest*, merging digital ecosystems with the senses. On the flip side, workshops will dig deeper: scenario planning, future storytelling, even a roundtable on wearable tech. I’m not a fan of overused buzzwords, but “imagination as a resource” — one of the panel titles — feels spot on. It’s exactly the kind of mindset shift our region’s innovators are nurturing.

Running alongside the main forum will be **Prototypes for Humanity 2025** at AREA 2071, with a hundred standout projects chosen from more than 3,000 global entries. The event will also feature the first **Dubai Foresight Awards**, recognising changemakers who design sustainable futures. And, because futurists love a good story, there’s even a **Future Stories Awards** ceremony and, for the first time, a Book Corner for authors and thinkers shaping the global foresight dialogue.

What’s refreshing about the whole thing is how rooted it feels in the here-and-now — not just lofty predictions. Dubai may be known for its skyscrapers and speed, but even I have to admit, the city’s knack for convening thinkers and doers is unmatched. As we often say at Arageek, the region doesn’t just talk about the future — it prototypes it. And that’s something worth watching… closely and curiously.

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