$680,000 Artificial Intelligence Competition in Dubai: Create AI Agents Championship

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, has launched the “Create AI Agents Championship,” with a total prize pool exceeding AED 2.5 million ($680,000). Open to global participation, the program aims to encourage the development of artificial intelligence agents and transform these technologies into commercial solutions that can be used in the digital economy, e-commerce, retail, and various other sectors.

Dubai to Lead Innovation in Artificial Intelligence

Announced at the third Create Apps Championship awards ceremony held at Emirates Towers Boulevard in Dubai, the competition marks a new phase of the existing app development program.

Hamdan bin Mohammed stated that the initiative is a continuation of the goal of transforming ideas that benefit humanity into projects. Al Maktoum expressed their aim for Dubai to lead innovation in artificial intelligence through the new program, emphasizing that the technology will make services faster, easier, more efficient, and more human-centered. Al Maktoum also invited entrepreneurs and innovators from different countries around the world to participate in the competition.

Prizes to Be Awarded in Four Categories for AI Agents

The competition, led by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, features four categories:

·         Best Social AI Agent

·         Best Personal AI Agent

·         Best Business AI Agent

·         Best Youth AI Agent

The winner of each category will receive AED 550,000 in support. One project selected from among the four winners will also receive an AED 1 million prize with the title of “AI Agent of the Year.” The total prize amount will exceed AED 2.5 million.

AI Solutions in E-Commerce and Retail to Be Supported

The competition's business category focuses on artificial intelligence systems that improve the operations, decision-making processes, services, and customer experience of public and private sector organizations. As part of the program, participants are expected to identify real user needs, develop solutions using AI agents, and demonstrate their potential to become scalable commercial products. This scope is also broad enough to include solutions for customer experience, digital services, and operations management aimed at e-commerce businesses and retail companies.

Participants from Different Countries Can Also Join the Competition

Individuals, teams, students, entrepreneurs, and existing companies will be able to participate in the competition without any technical expertise requirement. Applications can be submitted based on an innovative idea, prototype, or early-stage product. Fully commercialized products will not be accepted. As part of the Digital Academy, which will launch in November, four advanced training sessions, four practical workshops, and mentoring sessions will be organized. According to the initial announcement, applications will close in December 2026.

Application website

Previous Competition Received 15,000 Applications from 153 Countries

The Create Apps Championship, whose new format was announced by Hamdan bin Mohammed, received 15,564 applications from 153 countries over three editions. As part of the program, 1,700 prototypes were developed, and the launch of more than 140 applications was supported. In the third edition of the previous competition, 9,754 applications were recorded.