His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the opening of the third edition of the Machines Can See (MCS) Summit 2025 in Dubai. The summit brought together more than 2,000 leaders, researchers, investors, experts and policy-makers.
The summit, held as part of Dubai AI Week 2025, sought to strengthen strategic partnerships between the government and private sectors, ensure alignment among governments’ efforts to shape the future of AI, accelerate innovation and harness AI applications to benefit societies.
Ministerial dialogues assess social impact of AI
The Machines Can See Summit’s opening day featured a high-level ministerial dialogue titled ‘Wanted: AI to Retain and Attract Talent to the Country.’ The session brought together senior policymakers from the UAE, Egypt, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and other countries around the globe. Additionally, it gathered experts from around the world through 20 keynote speeches and panel discussions under the theme ‘Good AI: Making the World a Safer Place.’
The dialogues and discussions spotlighted national strategies to attract, develop and retain the talent needed to power the next era of AI-driven innovation, while also examining the social impact of artificial intelligence across fields such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, industry and the arts.
In his opening speech, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Future Foundation, stated that innovation in developing AI solutions to enhance government work, improve well-being and establish a new economic model represents a key pillar of the UAE’s strategic direction.
It forms part of a forward-looking vision embraced by the leadership to ensure sustainable development and prosperity and strengthen the UAE’s global competitiveness and leadership across various sectors, he said.
UAE drives responsible AI development
Al Olama further added that the UAE is actively shaping the future by developing responsible AI and applying its capabilities across vital domains. The nation stands at the forefront of this effort, setting global benchmarks through transformative solutions that reimagine the future, place human well-being at the core of innovation and make the UAE the easiest place on Earth for world-class researchers to live, work and launch companies.
During the summit, Alexander Khanin, the founder of the summit stated: “We built Machines Can See so ideas don’t get trapped in labs; our goal is to turn breakthrough research into products that change lives.”
During his participation at the Machines Can See Summit, Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital, emphasised high‑performance computing and a vibrant start‑up pipeline. He said that Malaysia is building a future‑ready digital ecosystem driven by innovation, talent and responsible AI adoption.
“Events like Machines Can See allow us to engage with global partners, exchange ideas and shape policies that will define the next wave of digital transformation. We are focused on growing our AI talent pool and creating an environment where cutting‑edge technologies and businesses can thrive,” he added.
Egypt showcases second phase of National AI Strategy
Meanwhile, Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, showcased the second phase of Egypt’s National AI Strategy. He said that AI must serve people, empower talent and drive inclusive development.
“We are doubling down on AI‑specific training, backing AI‑powered start‑ups and expanding our national data‑center footprint so smart services reach every citizen. Egypt is not only ready for the AI age — we are helping shape it for the region and beyond,” he added.
Furthermore, Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, highlighted fresh incentives at the Machines Can See Summit, noting that the country is positioning itself as a trusted partner in the global AI landscape by creating an open, innovation‑driven environment for talents and companies.
“From our Digital Nomad Visa to the launch of Alem.AI—our flagship international AI center—we are attracting the brightest minds in technology while maintaining a strong focus on human‑centred, ethical AI,” he said.
Read| Dubai AI Week 2025: UAE ranks among top emerging economies in AI readiness, says BCG
Key announcements and launches
During his participation at the Machines Can See Summit, Meutya Hafid, Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, announced Jakarta’s forthcoming National GPU Lab and micro‑credential program for 50,000 developers annually, stressing AI for smart‑agriculture and health resilience.
Astana Hub (Kazakhstan), IT‑Park Uzbekistan and Al‑Farabi Innovation Hub (UAE) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a unified platform to help Central‑Asian start‑ups soft‑land in the UAE and expand across the wider MENA region. The MoU establishes joint acceleration cohorts, cross‑border fundraising support and reciprocal talent‑visa pathways.
“From our Digital Nomad visa to today’s agreement with the UAE and Uzbekistan, we are building the incentives and ecosystem needed to attract the brightest minds while exporting Central‑Asian innovation to the world,” Minister Madiyev said.
