Dubai is gearing up for a major global event centred on technology, innovation and the future of humanity. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the Dubai Future Foundation to organise Dubai Future Week from November 18 to 21, 2026.
The event will take place across Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future. It is designed to bring different communities, ideas and discussions together on one connected platform focused on how future changes will affect people and society.
Dubai Future Week will bring together government leaders, scientists, futurists, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, creators and innovators from around the world. Rather than sticking to predictions, the event will focus on practical ideas, partnerships and solutions that can improve everyday life.
Sheikh Hamdan Highlights the Importance of Global Cooperation
In a post on X, Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai Future Week is meant to become an important milestone in shaping the future of humanity. He described it as a global platform where leaders and decision-makers can meet futurists, scientists and innovators.
He also stressed how important international collaboration is as technology develops at such a rapid pace. Dubai is calling for greater cooperation to make sure investment and innovation are directed toward technologies that support human wellbeing and improve quality of life.
According to Sheikh Hamdan, Dubai’s approach to the future continues under the vision set out by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Future readiness remains a key part of Dubai’s long-term planning, policies and initiatives.
A Human-Centred Approach to the Future
One of the core ideas behind Dubai Future Week 2026 is that the future should not be discussed only in terms of machines, software and scientific breakthroughs. Instead, the event will look at how these developments could shape the way people live, work, learn, travel and interact.
The event will run under the tagline “For the Human of the Future,” reflecting its focus on the human side of technological, economic, scientific and social change.
Discussions will dig into questions that could become part of everyday life in the coming decades, including how people may live in future cities, how children will learn, how healthcare will evolve and how businesses will adapt to new technologies.
More Than 10,000 Participants Expected
Dubai Future Week is expected to draw more than 10,000 participants from around the world. The crowd will include inventors, investors, entrepreneurs, technologists, policymakers, researchers and specialists working in future-focused industries.
Participants will get to explore new technologies and ideas while discussing major changes that could shape different parts of society. The programme is designed to make complex future trends easier to grasp by tying them back to real human experiences.
The week will also build on the work of established Dubai Future Foundation platforms, including the Dubai Future Forum and Dubai AI Week, bringing their communities, ideas and expertise together under the wider Dubai Future Week programme.
Exhibitions, Talks and Immersive Experiences
The programme will include keynote speeches, debates, fireside conversations, workshops, international challenges, competitions and idea pitches. Visitors can also expect exhibitions, immersive future experiences, specialist sessions and public activations.
There will be closed-door discussions too, designed specifically for experts and industry leaders. These different formats are meant to give people more room to discuss ideas and explore possible solutions.
Dubai Future Week will also feature initiatives such as AI Grandmaster, the Dubai Foresight Awards and the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity exhibition. Inspirational TED Talks will round out the wider programme.
Five Human-Centred Tracks
The event is organised around five main themes: How We’ll Live, How We’ll Think, How We’ll Innovate, How We’ll Feel and How We’ll Do Business.
Rather than splitting the future into individual industries, these tracks look at how different technologies and developments could shape human experiences. The approach ties areas like AI, healthcare, mobility, education and finance back to everyday life.
How We’ll Live
The “How We’ll Live” track focuses on the homes, cities and communities of the future. It will cover areas such as housing, urban design, mobility, longevity and the relationship between people and their surroundings.
Discussions will also touch on climate resilience, net-zero infrastructure, nature-based urban solutions, rewilding and ecosystem regeneration, along with security and defence, culture, identity, and the changing meaning of belonging.
A key question running through this track: what will an ordinary day actually feel like in the cities and communities of the future?
How We’ll Think
“How We’ll Think” explores intelligence, education, learning, and knowledge in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. It will consider how AI could change the way people access information and make decisions.
The track will also look at future skills, critical thinking, media literacy, and the changing role of schools and universities, along with cognitive enhancement and how future generations may understand knowledge and truth.
The focus is not just on the technology people use but on how it could shape curiosity, creativity, memory, and human judgment.
How We’ll Innovate
The “How We’ll Innovate” track looks at robotics, automation, and intelligent technologies that could transform society. It will examine how machines and algorithms might change workplaces, logistics, and everyday activities.
Emerging areas such as quantum computing, synthetic biology, advanced materials, and space technology will also come up. These technologies could open new opportunities while raising important questions about how they are used.
The program will consider who controls emerging technologies, who benefits from them and how governments and societies can develop responsible ways to manage fast-moving innovation.
How We’ll Feel
“How We’ll Feel” focuses on health, well-being, and human performance. It explores the relationship between food, agriculture, healthcare and quality of life.
Discussions will cover areas like vertical farming, lab-grown proteins, and AI-supported supply chains, as well as the relationship between food, culture, taste, and identity.
Healthcare and biotechnology will be another major focus, including diagnostics, longevity science and mental health. The track will also touch on sports, human performance, and the growing wellness economy.
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How We’ll Do Business
The final track, “How We’ll Do Business,” looks at money, markets, and investment in the future economy. Entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders will discuss how technology and shifting economic models could reshape the way companies operate.
Topics will include decentralized economies, responsible uses of AI in business, startup ecosystems, and evolving policy and regulatory systems, along with the changing relationship between risk and return.
The discussions will explore how companies can stay competitive and resilient as new technologies and business models emerge, and how these shifts could affect employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, and society more broadly.
Dubai Future Week Connects Technology With Everyday Life
Dubai Future Week 2026 is being positioned as an evolution of the Dubai Future Foundation’s work across foresight, technology, innovation, and policy. By bringing together different events and communities, the organizers hope to create stronger connections between ideas and practical solutions.
The event treats the future as something that directly affects people’s daily lives rather than a distant concept. From homes and workplaces to schools, hospitals, and cities, the discussions will focus on how ordinary people could actually experience emerging changes.
The broader aim is to shift the conversation from simply predicting the future to actively designing it. Through collaboration between scientists, businesses, policymakers, innovators, and communities, Dubai Future Week will explore how technology and new ideas can contribute to better outcomes for people and future generations.