Photo Credit: WAM
Dubai Future Week will take place from November 18 to 21, 2026, following directives from H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation.
Organised by Dubai Future Foundation, the event will bring together global leaders, scientists, futurists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, creators and innovators across Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future.
Dubai Future Week is designed as an expanded platform that brings together several of Dubai Future Foundation’s established events, initiatives and international communities into one connected experience focused on how emerging technologies and global transformations will affect people’s lives.
Held under the theme “For the Human of the Future,” the event will explore how people are expected to live, think, innovate, feel and conduct business as scientific, technological, economic and social developments accelerate.
Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai continues to strengthen its role as a global destination for ambitious ideas, future-focused thinking and international partnerships.
He said the emirate is encouraging greater global collaboration to accelerate the use of technology in ways that improve human wellbeing, enhance quality of life and support a better future for coming generations.
The four-day programme will include keynote speeches, debates, fireside conversations, workshops, international competitions, idea pitches, exhibitions, immersive experiences, specialist sessions and closed-door discussions.
More than 10,000 participants are expected to attend, including inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, technologists, experts and specialists from future-focused industries around the world.
The event will cover areas including artificial intelligence, healthcare, education, fintech, logistics, infrastructure, mobility, robotics, automation, energy, sustainability, climate, space, regulation, sport and future foresight.
Rather than examining these fields separately, Dubai Future Week will focus on how they interact and influence everyday life, including how people learn, work, travel, manage their health, build relationships and participate in economies.
Five human-centred tracks
Dubai Future Week will be organised around five main tracks: How We’ll Live, How We’ll Think, How We’ll Innovate, How We’ll Feel and How We’ll Do Business.
How We’ll Live
This track will explore the future of homes, cities, transport, longevity and urban life, while also examining climate resilience, net-zero infrastructure, nature-based urban development and ecosystem regeneration.
It will also address security, defence, culture, identity and the changing meaning of belonging in future communities.
How We’ll Think
The track will focus on intelligence, education, learning and knowledge in the age of artificial intelligence.
Topics will include future skills, critical thinking, media literacy, cognitive development, the evolution of schools and universities, and the influence of AI on how people access and interpret information.
How We’ll Innovate
This area will examine robotics, automation, algorithms and emerging technologies expected to reshape economies and societies.
Discussions will cover quantum computing, synthetic biology, materials science and space technologies, alongside questions about how technological innovation should be governed and who benefits from it.
How We’ll Feel
The track will focus on health, wellbeing, food and human performance.
It will explore areas such as vertical farming, lab-grown proteins, AI-driven supply chains, healthcare innovation, diagnostics, biotechnology, longevity science, mental health, sport and the wellness economy.
How We’ll Do Business
This track will examine the future of finance, markets, investment and entrepreneurship.
Topics will include decentralised economies, responsible use of artificial intelligence in business, start-up ecosystems, regulation, investment trends and new models of value creation.
Dubai Future Week will also build on the success of established Dubai Future Foundation platforms including Dubai Future Forum and Dubai AI Week.
Other initiatives featured during the event will include AI Grandmaster, the Dubai Foresight Awards and Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity, alongside inspirational TED Talks.
Dubai Future Foundation said the event is intended to move discussions about the future beyond predictions and presentations by encouraging collaboration, experimentation and practical solutions.
The initiative reflects Dubai’s broader strategy of moving from anticipating change to actively shaping it, while ensuring technological and scientific progress translates into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
