Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, replacing its successful app development competition, as the emirate accelerates its push to lead global innovation in artificial intelligence.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, announced the event at an awards ceremony honouring winners of the third Create Apps Championship at Emirates Towers Boulevard on Wednesday.
Sheikh Hamdan said the initiative would make Dubai “the first city to lead innovation in this field”, shaping future approaches to service delivery and placing people at the centre of technological advancement.
The new championship shifts focus from digital application development to the creation of autonomous AI-agent systems designed to address real-world challenges.
Open to all ages and backgrounds from around the world, it accepts entries ranging from innovative ideas and early-stage prototypes to minimum viable products. Fully commercialised solutions are not eligible.
Participants will compete in four categories: Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent, and Best Youth AI Agent, the latter open to those under 21.
Each category winner will receive a grant of Dh550,000 ($150,000), with one overall winner awarded the AI Agent of the Year title and Dh1 million. Total prize money exceeds Dh2.5 million.
Registration is now open, with workshops and a Digital Academy offering advanced training courses and mentorship sessions planned throughout November and December.
At the same ceremony, winners of the Create Apps Championship were announced. POP by Kwelio, a smart medication-adherence app using behavioural science and predictive analytics, claimed both the Longevity App of the Year award and the title of Dubai's App of the Year.
Since it was launched in 2023, the Create Apps Championship has attracted 15,564 apps from 153 countries and supported the launch of more than 140 apps.
