Dubai Launches Global AI Agents Competition with More Than $680,000 in Prizes
The Create AI Agents Championship will support innovators worldwide with funding, training and mentorship to turn artificial intelligence ideas into practical solutions.
Dubai has introduced a global competition aimed at accelerating the development and commercial adoption of artificial intelligence agents, with more than $680,000 in prize money available to successful participants.
Announced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, the Create AI Agents Championship will encourage innovators to build autonomous AI systems that address practical challenges and can be developed into commercially viable products and services.
The initiative represents an expansion of Dubai’s digital innovation efforts, moving beyond conventional mobile and web applications towards AI agents capable of carrying out tasks, streamlining processes and improving service delivery across different industries.
Sheikh Hamdan said the competition aims to position Dubai at the forefront of AI-agent innovation while supporting faster, more efficient and people-focused services.
Four Categories to Encourage AI Innovation
The championship is open to individuals and teams from around the world, with no minimum age requirement or mandatory technical background. Applicants can participate with an initial concept, a prototype or an early-stage product. Existing companies may also enter with new AI-agent solutions that have not yet been fully commercialised.
The competition will feature four categories covering different applications of artificial intelligence.
Best Societal AI Agent: Solutions designed to address challenges involving education, sustainability and social inclusion.
Best Personal AI Agent: Tools intended to improve productivity, support everyday decisions and assist with areas such as health.
Best Business AI Agent: AI systems that enhance workplace processes, business services and customer experiences.
Best Youth AI Agent: A dedicated category for innovators under the age of 21.
The categories are designed to encourage the development of AI applications that deliver practical benefits for individuals, communities and businesses.
Winners to Receive Funding and Development Support
Each of the four category winners will receive $150,000 to advance their solutions. One winner will also be awarded an additional $272,000 and named AI Agent of the Year.
Beyond financial rewards, participants will have access to training and mentoring designed to help them transform their ideas into working products.
The programme will begin with three introductory workshops focused on agentic AI. A Digital Academy is scheduled to launch in November 2026, providing four advanced courses, four practical workshops and mentoring sessions to help participants refine their solutions and prepare their presentations.
Registration is scheduled to close in December 2026. Applicants will be required to submit an AI-agent prototype, a pitch deck and a demonstration video.
Building on Dubai’s Digital Entrepreneurship Efforts
The championship builds on the Create Apps Championship, introduced in 2023 through the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy's efforts to encourage digital entrepreneurship and technology-driven businesses.
Across its first three editions, the earlier programme attracted 15,564 applications from 153 countries, helped develop 1,700 prototypes and supported the launch of more than 140 applications.
The new initiative extends this focus by encouraging the creation of AI agents that can perform tasks autonomously and deliver measurable benefits in real-world settings.
For Dubai, the competition forms part of its wider ambition to strengthen its position as an international centre for technology, entrepreneurship and digital transformation, while helping innovators move from early-stage ideas to market-ready solutions.
