Innovators, entrepreneurs, students and technology developers from around the world can enter Dubai’s new AI agent development competition from Wednesday, October 7. The contest offers a total of $750,000 in grants, equivalent to about Dh2.75 million. Participants must identify a real-world problem, build an AI agent to address it, test the impact of their solution and demonstrate its potential to become a scalable product, service or business.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, announced the launch of the Create AI Agents Championship and invited innovators worldwide to take part. The competition aims to strengthen Dubai’s position in the development and adoption of AI agents and use the technology to deliver faster, simpler and more efficient services.

The contest marks a new phase in Dubai’s app development competitions, shifting the focus from conventional applications to AI agents — systems capable of understanding a goal, planning how to achieve it, using other tools and systems, and carrying out a series of actions to complete a task. Entries will be assessed on more than technical merit, with criteria including the ability to solve a real-world problem, deliver measurable impact and develop into a sustainable, scalable business.

The competition is open to people from technical and non-technical backgrounds worldwide, and no previous AI experience is required. Participants may compete individually or in teams of up to six, and an idea, prototype or early-stage product is sufficient for entry. Existing companies may also submit a new solution or feature, but products that have already been fully commercialised will not be accepted.

The competition will feature four categories: Best Social Agent, Best Personal Agent, Best Business Agent and Best Youth Agent. The social category is for solutions that address a real community challenge and create a positive impact. The personal category focuses on improving daily life in areas such as health, well-being, productivity and time management, while the business category is for agents that can enhance services, workflows, decision-making or customer experience in the public and private sectors.

In the youth category, the lead applicant must be under 21 at the time of registration. For team entries, the group must be led by a young participant. There is no minimum age requirement for the other categories.

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The winner in each of the four categories will receive a $150,000 grant, equivalent to about AED 550,000, to develop and expand their project. One of the four winners will also be named “Dubai AI Agent of the Year” and receive additional financial support. According to the competition’s official website, the total grant funding amounts to $750,000.

The competition’s training programme will begin in October with three introductory live workshops on AI agents. A Digital Academy featuring 10 short educational videos will also launch in November. During the development phase in November and December, participants will attend four advanced sessions, four practical workshops and specialised guidance and mentoring programmes.

According to the official timeline, participants must submit an AI agent prototype, pitch deck and video introducing their solution in January 2027. However, the official Dubai Chambers website lists two different registration deadlines: the FAQ section states December 2026, while the competition timeline indicates that registration will close in January 2027. As a result, no specific day or month can yet be confirmed as the final deadline without noting this discrepancy.

In the subsequent stages, 24 teams will advance to the semi-finals, with 12 participants or teams ultimately selected for the final. Finalists must present a fully functional AI agent live; a prototype alone will not be sufficient. The final and awards ceremony will take place in the first week of May 2027.

The competition was announced as the third edition of the Dubai App Creation Challenge concluded. According to official figures, the third edition received 9,754 applications, bringing the total across all three editions to 15,564 applications from 153 countries. Since its launch, the competition has helped develop about 1,700 prototypes and supported the launch of more than 140 applications.

The new competition is part of Dubai’s broader programme to expand the use of AI agents across the emirate’s economy. On May 4, 2026, Sheikh Hamdan launched a two-year programme to accelerate the adoption of the technology in Dubai’s private sector. Its implementation plan, unveiled in June, aims to empower 295,000 companies, develop 100 specialised AI agents and support the establishment of 50 AI agent companies over two years.

To register and learn more, visit this website.