UAE’s AI Vision Soars with New Centre of Excellence in Dubai

A fresh milestone in the UAE’s tech story landed this week with the opening of the new AI Centre of Excellence at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. I’ve walked through Dubai Knowledge Park many times on my way to meet startup founders, but seeing it now host a centre that aims to anchor the country’s sovereign AI ambitions… well, that feels spot on for where the UAE is heading.

The Centre is a joint effort by Lakeba Group, DoxAI, AqlanX and UOWD, and from what’s been shared publicly, the goal is pretty bold: build, deploy, and eventually export AI technologies that are created in the Emirates, for the Emirates, and—if all goes well—for the wider world. During the inauguration, several high-profile figures attended, including leadership from TECOM Group, Microsoft UAE, UOW Global Enterprises, and Australian representatives. It was a proper mix of academia, government and industry, which usually means the gears of innovation are about to start turning fast.

What stood out to me is how the Centre isn’t just about theory. They’ve already unveiled five core AI projects—from Arabic large language models to real‑time decision engines and AI-powered cybersecurity systems. I reckon the focus on multilingual and culturally aligned AI could become a serious competitive edge for the UAE, especially as governments everywhere scramble to figure out how to keep critical technologies sovereign. And believe it or not, they even showcased a research initiative called Temnography, which uses electromagnetic data to detect patterns in biological tissues. A bit niche, but it shows they’re not afraid to push unusual ideas.

The leaders behind the initiative didn’t mince words either. Giuseppe Porcelli from Lakeba called the Centre a declaration of intent for the UAE to shape globally impactful sovereign AI. UOWD’s president, Professor Mohamed Salem, highlighted how the partnership will empower students and researchers to tackle major global challenges. And Marisa Mastroianni, advising UOWD, stressed the importance of pairing the university’s research strengths with Lakeba’s commercial know-how—because without that bridge, innovation often gets stuck in the lab. I’ve seen this myself while chatting with MENA entrepreneurs over the years; great ideas sometimes stall simply because no one wants the faff of pushing them to market.

AqlanX’s co-founder Demetrio Russo added that the Centre aims to build a proper ecosystem where research, enterprise and government can collaborate, while TECOM Group’s Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi positioned it squarely within Dubai’s broader innovation strategies, like the Digital Economy Strategy and the city’s AI blueprint.

And there’s another interesting twist: Microsoft UAE has stepped in with a year-long commitment to train and upskill students, faculty and even administrators. Their plan includes AI fundamentals courses, certification vouchers, advanced learning resources and a Women in Cyber initiative with G42. As someone who often hears founders complain about the talent gap in the region, this kind of push feels overdue—definately helpful for the long run.

For anyone following the UAE’s tech scene, this new Centre looks like one of those moments where different pieces—policy, education, industry—finally click together. At Arageek, we’re always nudging founders to keep an eye on how academia and industry can cross-pollinate, and this feels like a textbook case. On the flip side, whether these ambitious projects become real, usable products is something we’ll all have to watch unfold over time.

Still, if the aim is to make the UAE a global benchmark in sovereign AI, this launch seems like a pretty solid start—chuffed to bits or not, it’s hard to ignore just how quickly the region is moving.

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