AGP Executive Report

Cybersecurity: The UAE Cybersecurity Council says it thwarted “sophisticated” cyberattacks on the financial sector, including AI-assisted phishing and malware attempts, and urged firms to keep systems updated and report suspicious activity. Health & AI Research: Abu Dhabi partnered with MIT’s Koch Institute (via DoH and Future Health) to accelerate AI-enabled oncology research and translational cancer trials. Space: The UAE’s Hope probe continues its extended Mars mission, still orbiting and collecting atmospheric data years after launch. Youth Skills: Dubai Future Foundation and Amazon UAE launched a collaboration offering Emirati students a co-sponsored scholarship for The Knowledge Society’s 10-month digital innovation programme. Digital Safety: A BBC investigation reports Instagram displayed paid ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India, pointing to gaps in ad moderation. Smart Living: The Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme and e& signed an agreement to roll out smart home and connected services for beneficiaries. Medical Tourism: The UAE ranks No. 9 globally in 2026 medical tourism destinations. Scam Alert: Dubai “prince” romance scams are using AI deepfakes and voice impersonation to trick victims into sending money.

Digital Cities & AI: Sheikh Hamdan attended the launch of Dubai’s Digital Twin Platform, a real-time 3D model meant to help authorities test urban plans, manage infrastructure, and simulate emergencies before they happen. Aviation Tech: Emirates rolled out a next-generation signature lounge concept across key cities, with integrated tech, locally inspired dining, and wellness-focused amenities—plus a reported AED50m investment per lounge. Smart Airports: Middle East airports are expanding AI and biometric processing to cut passenger processing times, with Dubai International using an AI “Red Carpet” Smart Tunnel for multiple travelers at once. Cyber & Safety: Dubai Police hit a 99.9% daytime safety perception score in 2025, while a new report warns criminals are using ChatGPT/Gemini and Starlink to accelerate pig-butchering scams. Health Law: UAE launched a month-long public consultation on rules for transplanting animal and manufactured organs into humans. Border Security: Dubai detected 902 irregularities in 20,000 travel documents, including forged and digitally altered items. Crypto Media Shake-up: DefiLlama cut ties with DL News after DL News’ website and X account were acquired by new owners.

Aerospace & Aviation: Mubadala’s Sanad poured over $6.8m into Abu Dhabi to expand LEAP engine MRO and testing, aiming to complete full LEAP overhauls locally. In-flight Connectivity: Emirates hit 1 million Starlink Wi‑Fi connections across its fleet in just seven months, with customers streaming and video-calling on high-speed onboard service. Regulation & Crypto Markets: VARA Dubai issued its 50th VASP license, bringing UAE regulated VASPs to 101, with Tribe Tokenization getting the green light for its RWA fractional real estate platform. Public Safety with AI: Abu Dhabi Police used AI-driven interactive experiences to boost anti-drug awareness, including VR scenarios and a digital prevention platform. Digital Learning: MBRGI backed a Digital School initiative targeting 500,000+ learners across six African countries, expanding digital education capacity. Energy Infrastructure: Oman is evaluating a 141-km subsea cable to link Musandam to the national grid by 2030, improving reliability for the Hormuz-facing region. AI Adoption Trend: A new report says the UAE and Saudi are moving AI from pilots to sector-wide rollouts, treating AI as a horizontal layer across the economy.

Child Safety Rules: UAE says protecting children must be central to social media, with under-15 access tied to government-approved age verification and strict data handling. Health & Genomics: Abu Dhabi begins a clinical trial using genetic data from nearly one million Emiratis to test an Alzheimer’s prevention therapy before symptoms appear. Dubai Budget Push: Sheikh Hamdan approved Dh18bn in projects spanning culture, infrastructure, urban planning and finance to “shape Dubai’s future.” Digital Security: UAE cyber chief warns that AI misuse by terrorist groups is a growing risk, stressing tech must serve humanity. AI Travel Expansion: Perk (AI-native travel and spend management) opens an Abu Dhabi office to scale GCC business travel. Infrastructure Mega-Plan: Dubai selects consortia for the $22bn Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels project, targeting major wastewater capacity upgrades. Regional Trade Route: Syria expects “practical” steps to link its ports to Gulf states via Iraq, positioning the route as an alternative to Hormuz disruptions. Aluminium Deal: Adani and Abu Dhabi’s IHC plan a $11.5bn aluminium mega-plant in India.

UAE Digital Safety: The UAE has mandated identity verification for social media platforms and tightened access for under-15s, with a 12-month transition and AI-backed checks to disable underage accounts. AI Investment: Abu Dhabi’s MGX has closed a $49B AI-focused fund above its $45B target, backing AI models, semiconductor infrastructure and data centers, with investments already placed in 14 companies. Space & Disaster Response: The UAE Space Agency led meetings for the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, coordinating with NCEMA and using satellite imagery and geospatial analysis to boost crisis response. HR Transformation: Procapita Group reports GCC HR teams are using AI and people analytics to speed hiring, predict attrition and shift HR into a more strategic role. Payments & Data Centers: Visa and Mastercard say they’re factoring data-center impacts into ESG reporting as AI drives higher electricity demand. Cyber & Fraud Controls: UAE authorities are examining WhatsApp username features over potential cyber fraud risks. Mobility & Infrastructure: Dubai is preparing for smart mobility upgrades, including prequalification for the Metro Gold Line network. Healthcare Innovation: Abu Dhabi is pushing AI-enabled healthcare research and trials, including a first Alzheimer’s prevention trial.

UAE Space Export Push: Abu Dhabi’s Orbitworks says it will ship Altair-1, the first UAE-built satellite for commercial export, to California for testing before an in-orbit launch later in 2026—an “exporter” milestone aimed at scaling a UAE space tech stack. AI Security in the GCC: KnowBe4 reports 24% of UAE and Saudi organisations already use autonomous AI agents without approval or governance, while 52% of employees say they’d struggle to spot deepfake scams. Health Tech Breakthrough: M42’s IROS and Abu Dhabi’s health authorities launch the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial to prevent Alzheimer’s, using large-scale genomic datasets to identify risk carriers. Healthcare Capacity Expansion: Abu Dhabi’s Specialised Rehabilitation Hospital breaks ground on a major SRH extension, targeting more than 230 inpatient rehab beds and expanded outpatient and therapy services by end-2028. Mobility & Travel Tech: Dubai’s ATM 2026 returns in September (14–17) with a focus on tourism resilience and tech-led industry connections, while UAE summer travel planning shows many travellers still comparing routes and comfort before booking.

UAE Rail Launch: Etihad Rail kicked off passenger services with a fast start—over 10,000 tickets sold on day one—plus onboard Wi‑Fi, power at every seat and upgraded Premium Class. Autonomous Motorsport: Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) is taking its fully autonomous cars overseas for a debut at Italy’s Imola Circuit on Sept 5, with teams including Kinetiz (UAE). AI & Healthcare in Abu Dhabi: M42’s IROS and Abu Dhabi’s health authorities launched the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial to prevent Alzheimer’s, adding to the emirate’s push for AI-enabled medicine. Aviation Experience Upgrade: Emirates unveiled a next-generation signature lounge concept rolling out from Munich and Frankfurt, with work, dining, spa-style shower suites and tech-enabled amenities. Sustainability in Aviation: flydubai published its inaugural 2025 Sustainability Report, outlining a five-year ESG plan powered by digital tech and AI to cut emissions. Mobility & Payments: Adyen secured a Central Bank of the UAE licence to expand local payments operations. Energy Watch: UAE petrol prices are set to drop nearly 14% for July after global oil moves.

UAE Space Sector Regulation: The UAE Space Agency has given companies and operators a 90-day grace period from July 6, 2026 to regularise their status, complete licensing and get permits under the 2023 space-sector law. AI for Weather: NCM (and the NCM-branded rollout) has launched the country’s first agentic AI assistants for meteorology, with Al-Rasid and a Forecaster Assistant supporting faster monitoring and decision-making in forecasting centres. Genomics for Alzheimer’s: Abu Dhabi’s DoH and M42’s IROS have started the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial to prevent Alzheimer’s by screening people with the APOE4 risk variant. Arabic AI at Scale: UAE homegrown Jais Arabic large language models are being tuned to better handle Arabic and regional cultural context, not just translation. Research Funding for Government Innovation: GDRFA Dubai launched a research award aimed at boosting applied, service-improving innovation, using an agentic AI evaluation platform. Clean Energy Build-Out: Masdar broke ground on a 1 GW wind plus battery storage project in Kazakhstan, targeting 24/7 renewable power and grid stability. Port Upgrades: AD Ports Group and EGA will invest AED 84m to enhance Khalifa Port berthing for larger bulk vessels, aiming for higher throughput by 2028. Fintech Payments: Dubai fintech AXON raised about $1m from Maarej Real Estate to expand cross-border payments infrastructure, targeting faster settlement via a unified orchestration layer. UAE Markets: Foreign investors kept UAE equities strong, with record participation boosting ADX and DFM activity in June.

AI & Health in Abu Dhabi: The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Eli Lilly signed an MoU to develop AI-enabled obesity care and a global Alzheimer’s centre of excellence, aiming for predictive, personalised metabolic treatment and earlier biomarker-based Alzheimer’s detection. Genomics Breakthrough: M42’s IROS launched the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial to prevent Alzheimer’s by screening Emirati Genome Programme participants for APOE4 carriers and testing HT-4253. Space & Satellites: The UAE plans to launch Altair, its first homegrown commercial Earth-observation satellite this autumn, with AI-powered image processing and a push to sell services to Western markets. Smart Mobility & Infrastructure: Dubai’s RTA expanded partnerships with Chinese firms for smart mobility, while Dubai Multi Commodities and EAK Digital set up “BlockDown Dubai” in 2027 to boost blockchain and AI in the emirate. Community Tech & Retail: Abu Dhabi Airports rolled out an Armaf-branded intelligent fragrance kiosk at Zayed International Airport, using connected retail tech to track demand and inventory. Energy Watch: ADNOC’s Bab Gas Cap project moves beyond oil, targeting up to 1.5 bcf/d to strengthen gas supply and LNG exports. Sports Tech: Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) will debut internationally in Imola on Sept 5 with up to five fully autonomous racecars.

UAE Economy & Tech Push: IMF-linked projections say the UAE is on track to top $500b GDP as non-oil growth accelerates, with Expo momentum and a Dh50bn fiscal stimulus helping drive tourism, aviation, retail, hospitality and construction. AI in Cities: Dubai Municipality launches the world’s first AI-powered park design challenge for Al Safa 2 Park, with Dhs200,000 in prizes and a human-led final decision process. AI Adoption Benchmark: Stanford’s 2026 AI Index flags the UAE as the top adopter of generative AI (64%), ahead of Singapore and far above the US. Smart Mobility & Retail Tech: Dubai’s RTA expands partnerships with Chinese firms for smart mobility, while OMODA & JAECOO says it’s building a UAE-wide automotive ecosystem beyond traditional dealerships, supported by a Dubai spare-parts distribution hub. Public Health & Food Security Research: UAE University-led work highlights how bovine tuberculosis may be spreading across MENA via cattle and raw milk, and another UAEU study finds closed-loop hydroponics isn’t always a money-saver—it depends on what farmers grow. Cyber & Online Safety: UAE’s new social media age rule (minimum 15) rolls out with up to 12 months for age verification, aiming to protect children’s data and online safety.

UAE-US AI push: The UAE joined 35 countries at the Pax Silica Summit in Washington to back secure AI supply chains and trusted cross-border deployment, with officials including Omran Sharaf and firms like G42, Core42 and MGX. Space industry milestone: Orbitworks says its Altair satellite—built in the UAE—will launch this autumn, marking the first time the UAE exports space tech, with a planned constellation using onboard Nvidia chips. Life sciences boost: Masdar City opened Biosphere Labs, the GCC’s first commercially scaled shared lab, with M42 and Attentive Science to expand Abu Dhabi’s biotech ecosystem. Cybersecurity warning: The UAE Cybersecurity Council urged residents to manage digital footprints more safely as global account compromises rise. Energy infrastructure: Likhitha Infrastructure won a Rs5.1bn UAE pipeline package at ASAB, due in 21 months. Mobility upgrade: Abu Dhabi plans air taxi services by end-2026/early 2027, alongside a mobility-as-a-service booking and payment platform. Healthcare finance: Burjeel Holdings priced its debut USD 500m sukuk, oversubscribed 3.2x.

UAE Social Policy & Safety: The UAE’s under-15 social media ban keeps spreading, with Australia now doubling fines for platforms that fail to comply—while regulators investigate possible non-compliance by major apps. UAE Education & Innovation: Sharjah students built a facial-recognition vending machine that blocks unhealthy or allergy-triggering snacks, shortlisted for a global healthy-school prize. UAE Health Tech: Abu Dhabi’s DoH and Novartis signed MoUs to advance genomics research and healthcare innovation, adding to the emirate’s push for AI- and data-led medicine. UAE Cybersecurity & Digital Trust: A Dubai-based cybersecurity firm says AI and smart infrastructure make security “an essential enabler” for regional digital growth. UAE Mobility & Energy: Dubai-headquartered Spiro secured $270m to expand electric mobility across multiple African markets, including more battery-swap infrastructure. UAE Infrastructure & Transport: The UAE ranked third globally for road quality in 2026, reflecting sustained investment in maintenance, safety, and traffic management. UAE Business & Media: Dubai approved launch of a new “Dubai Business” media platform, aiming to boost local business visibility and engagement.

UAE Health & Life Sciences: Abu Dhabi DoH signed MoUs with Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim to push genomics research, advanced therapies and capacity building, building on the Emirati Genome Program and population-scale sequencing. UAE AI & Digital Innovation: Abu Dhabi unveiled an AI virtual human twin project, while the UAE MoE launched NOVA to accelerate AI-driven transformation across institutions. UAE Healthcare Tech: Sidra Medicine launched a specialized Microbiome Service for precision medicine and translational research, and Abu Dhabi Biobank partnered with BioTwin to expand human virtual twin tech for AI in healthcare. UAE Mobility & Testing: Abu Dhabi set a framework for autonomous marine vessel testing, including mandatory permits, insurance and cybersecurity controls. UAE Training & Skills: Dubai Police won the ATD Excellence in Practice Award 2026 for learning technologies. UAE Tech in the News: Tata Sierra EV’s new Terrain Modes and Boost Mode were showcased in Abu Dhabi, hinting at 500+ km range potential. Regional Tech-Policy: Pakistan moves to barcode tracking for every medicine to curb counterfeits. Global Tech & Security: The US expanded its secure AI supply chain initiative with the Philippines joining Pax Silica.

UAE Health Tech: Abu Dhabi Biobank has teamed up with BioTwin to expand Human Virtual Twin work, aiming to boost AI-driven, predictive healthcare. AI in Healthcare: Medcare became the first UAE provider to adopt AI-first electronic health records, while Abu Dhabi’s DoH and BioTwin also push genomics and personalized care partnerships. Cancer Innovation: Abu Dhabi is set to trial a new 3D-printed, biodegradable mesh drug-delivery approach for colorectal cancer, targeting tumours to reduce side effects. Public Safety Systems: UAE authorities said a Dubai missile alert was triggered by a technical malfunction, with corrective procedures underway. Digital Infrastructure: Kyivstar signed an MoU with Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy for an AI-ready sovereign data centre, supported by VEON, with the plan highlighted at URC 2026. Entrepreneurship & Manufacturing: ADGM Academy wrapped up a 3D printing Future Entrepreneurs Programme in Al Ain, graduating 50 job seekers with market-ready prototypes. Aviation & Compliance: EASA issued urgent inspections for 16 Airbus A380s over wing cracks, a reminder of ongoing safety oversight across global fleets.

UAE Health Tech & Genomics: Abu Dhabi DoH teamed up with BioTwin to expand AI-based Human Virtual Twin tech via the Abu Dhabi Biobank, with early multi-cancer screening as the first focus. Precision Medicine Partnerships: DoH also signed with Boehringer Ingelheim to use Abu Dhabi’s genomics ecosystem to study genetic drivers across cardiovascular, diabetes, oncology, rare and neurological diseases. Gene-Editing Push: DoH and Arbor Biotechnologies inked another MoU to advance gene-editing therapies for rare, genetic disorders. AI in Education: GEMS Education and Oracle will equip 11,000 UAE secondary students and alumni with industry digital skills through Oracle University certifications in AI, cloud and data analytics. Smart City & Urban Tech: Dubai approved three major projects—an AI-powered park design challenge, an 8km Creek lighting upgrade, and a Falcon Market—aimed at boosting quality of life and tourism. Healthcare Recognition: Fakeeh University Hospital won a Gold Award at the Global Medical Excellence Awards, highlighting clinical excellence and digital transformation. Mobility/Robotics: CaoCao Mobility and May Mobility agreed to explore robotaxi pilots in Europe, with Level 4 autonomy and fleet operations collaboration. Cyber/AI Ops: Unidata launched CrowdArena, benchmarking crowdsourcing platforms for AI teams and stressing workforce quality over raw worker counts.

UAE Rail Upgrade: Etihad Rail’s new Abu Dhabi station in Mohamed bin Zayed City is set to open on June 30, promising a smoother passenger flow with natural-light design, clear wayfinding, integrated bus links, and shuttle access to key hubs. AI in Government: The Ministry of Education launched the NOVA project to use AI to turn data into actionable insights and streamline education operations for students, teachers, schools and parents. Smart City & Urban Tech: Dubai Municipality projects got the green light from Sheikh Hamdan, including a first AI-powered park design challenge and new urban initiatives aimed at improving quality of life. Digital Finance: HSBC and Mastercard rolled out a mobile virtual card solution in the UAE, enabling tokenized virtual cards in digital wallets for safer B2B and travel spend. Cybersecurity Watch: Fortinet users are being warned about the FortiBleed campaign, where attackers appear to be leveraging leaked credentials to target FortiGate firewalls and SSL-VPN gateways. AI & Learning for Families: A UAE conference in Abu Dhabi urged stronger family oversight of AI and social media use, pushing digital literacy and responsible AI adoption. Local Tech Industry: KERNO Enterprises inaugurated its UAE headquarters and first enterprise IT hardware manufacturing facility at Dubai Silicon Oasis, supporting local production for secure tech and digital infrastructure.