23 January 2026, Abu Dhabi – Yango Group, in collaboration with INSEAD and Polynome, will host an invitation-only executive workshop at Machines Can Think 2026, the UAE’s premier AI summit, focused on how AI is being implemented in practice across the UAE’s public and semi-government sectors. The workshop will take place on January 26 in Abu Dhabi at Park Hyatt Saadiyat, from 11:20 AM to 1:00 PM.
AI is becoming central to how governments and organisations operate in the UAE, driven by strong national ambition and large-scale investment. Through the UAE’s 2031 AI Strategy, the country is working toward the goals of Centennial 2071 by leading AI investment across sectors and creating high-value markets that support long-term economic growth.
Against this backdrop, the session will explore why many AI initiatives face challenges in scaling beyond pilots, even when early results are promising. It will examine how procurement decisions, data ownership, organisational structures, and governance models shape AI outcomes at scale. Panelists will discuss what it takes to embed AI into real decision-making processes, rather than using it only to automate individual tasks. The session will also highlight the long-term trade-offs governments and large institutions must navigate to ensure AI delivers lasting, accountable impact.
The discussion will also feature perspectives from government and industry practitioners, including Mohammed Adnane Retmi of Core42, Naima Al Falasi of Mubadala, Dr Merouane Debbah of Polynome and Khalifa University, Tareq Ashmawy from the Department of Government Enablement, and Sergei Loiter, CEO of AI at Yango Group.
The research takes place amid rapid AI adoption in the UAE. In 2025, AI adoption in the nation hit 97%, supporting the national goal of achieving full reliance on AI across services and data analysis by 2031. Investments directed toward AI exceeded AED 543 billion across 2024 and 2025, signalling a shift from experimentation to real-world delivery. The workshop positions Yango Group and INSEAD at the centre of a grounded, execution-led discussion on how AI scales from ambition to accountable delivery.
To join global AI leaders and innovators in Abu Dhabi, register now at machinescanthink.ai.
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