Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has launched The Academy, a new initiative created to foster global engagement with artificial intelligence beyond traditional academic settings. The Academy is intended to convene experts from AI research, creative industries and executive leadership to explore AI’s role in shaping society.
The launch was held in the presence of His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Member of the MBZUAI Board of Trustees, and Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor at MBZUAI. The announcement coincided with the university’s five-year celebrations, the graduation of the sixth MBZUAI Executive Program cohort and the unveiling of the AI x Arts Fellowship.
The inaugural fellowship cohort brings together eight global creatives and innovators, including Refik Anadol, James Gerde, Emi Kusano, Lachlan Turczan, Amrita Sethi, Daniel Ambrosi, Ahmad AlAttar and curator Giuseppe Moscatello. Two residency programmes scheduled for 2026 will connect the fellows with AI scientists and cultural institutions across Abu Dhabi.
Spring Chunxiao Fu, Managing Director at the MBZUAI Academy said: “The launch of The Academy reflects the mission of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to move AI beyond the laboratory and into the heart of society. By bringing together the world’s greatest minds – from the artists in our new fellowship to the leaders in our executive programmes – we hope to shape the narratives and elevate the global conversation beyond technology to purpose and impact, while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s ambitious role in the global AI landscape.”
The launch event took place at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, where attendees viewed works from MBZUAI’s collections documenting the relationship between science and culture.
The Academy also encompasses the MBZUAI Executive Program, which has trained more than 200 leaders across government and industry. The event concluded with presentations of Leading Capstone Projects, including an AI-powered personalised longevity companion designed to support better health outcomes in Abu Dhabi. More regional news is available at https://abudhabi-news.com/.
