Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has announced the creation of The Academy, a new initiative aimed at advancing interdisciplinary dialogue around artificial intelligence and its impact on society. The Academy has been positioned as a forum for global knowledge exchange, uniting leaders from AI research, the arts and executive leadership.
The launch was held with 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, in attendance. The announcement formed part of MBZUAI’s five-year celebrations and coincided with the graduation of the sixth cohort of the MBZUAI Executive Program and the introduction of the AI x Arts Fellowship.
The fellowship’s inaugural cohort includes eight internationally recognised practitioners, including Refik Anadol, James Gerde, Emi Kusano and Lachlan Turczan, joined by Amrita Sethi, Daniel Ambrosi, Ahmad AlAttar and curator Giuseppe Moscatello. The fellows will take part in two residency programmes in Abu Dhabi during 2026.
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.”
Hosted at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the launch event included curated previews from MBZUAI’s art collection, highlighting the intersection of science and creativity.
The Academy also incorporates the MBZUAI Executive Program, which has trained more than 200 senior leaders to date, supporting the adoption of AI across government and industry.
The event concluded with the presentation of Leading Capstone Projects, including an AI-powered personalised longevity companion aimed at reducing healthcare costs in Abu Dhabi. More regional news is available at https://abudhabi-news.com/.