Envision 2025 drives UAE's AI transformation forward, bringing together global leaders to shape tomorrow's smart communities

du, the leading telecom and digital services provider, successfully concluded the third edition of du Tech’s flagship technology event, Envision 2025. Themed "AI progress begins when leaders and technology align," the event brought together government institutions, municipalities, key industry partners, and technology leaders to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies in shaping the UAE's digital future. The event commenced with an opening keynote address Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du, which set the tone for a day of impactful discussions on AI-enabled innovation and the UAE's accelerated digital transformation journey.

Envision 2025 featured a comprehensive 360-degree tech showcase focusing on AI-driven smart communities through digital innovation. The event addressed critical sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, education, smart cities, retail, transport, and utilities, demonstrating how AI and advanced technologies can elevate business operations, economic growth, and community development.

Jasim Al Awadi, Chief ICT Officer at du, said: "Envision has once again highlighted the UAE's commitment to leading the global AI revolution. As we gather future makers and decision-makers on this platform, we're not just discussing tomorrow's technology – we're actively creating it today. This event reinforces our mission to power an AI-driven digital economy that builds smarter, more sustainable communities aligned with the visionary leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who reminds us that 'Future is not something that we wait for, but create.”

The conference highlighted five main technological pillars that are driving the UAE's digital transformation: AI and Generative AI solutions, including cutting-edge Agentic AI applications; robust Data Centre and Sovereign Cloud infrastructure to support national digital sovereignty; Advanced Robotics and Industry 4.0 implementations that are revolutionizing manufacturing and operational processes; innovative Mining as a Service and GPU as a Service offerings that democratize access to high-performance computing resources; and comprehensive Cloud Computing and National Hyperscaler solutions that provide scalable, enterprise-grade digital infrastructure to support the nation's growing technological ecosystem.

Leadership Vision for the Future

Envision 2025 featured a distinguished lineup of industry leaders and technology visionaries, including entrepreneur and investor Randi Zuckerberg who shared insights on the future of AI-driven digital transformation. The agenda encompassed critical discussions on AI implementation strategies, sovereign cloud infrastructure development, advanced robotics integration, and the practical applications of emerging technologies across various industry sectors. Speakers addressed how these innovations can be leveraged to create more efficient, sustainable, and intelligent communities in line with the UAE's national digital transformation objectives.

In addition, the conference brought together an impressive roster of C-level executives and technology leaders, including Nick Redshaw, Country Leader, Middle East & Africa, Oracle, Saad Toma, SVP Middle East & Africa, IBM, Shukri Eid, General Manager – Gulf, Levant & Pakistan, IBM, Hani Khalaf, CTO IoT & Digital Cities, Dell, Naim Yazbeck, General Manager UAE, Microsoft, Dr. Shenggao Zhu, VP of AI Middle East, Huawei, Kamil Al Tawil, Managing Director, Equinix, Melih Kirkgoz, Office of the CTO Solutions Architect, Fortinet, Jane Rygaard, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Nokia, Cherian Varghese, SVP AI, Cloud Infrastructure EMEA, Oracle and Adi Morun, Data & AI Lead CEA, MEA, Microsoft.

Following the remarkable success of previous editions, with Envision 2024 achieving significant milestones including 26 C-level speakers, 103 attendees, 500+ participants, this year's event continued to establish Envision as the UAE's premier technology platform for digital transformation discussions. Envision 2025 helped to successfully position the UAE at the forefront of global AI innovation, bringing together industry leaders, government stakeholders, and technology pioneers to collaborate on building an AI-enabled future with robust digital infrastructure.