Dubai launches Create AI Agents Championship with prize money exceeding Dh2.5m

Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, replacing its previous app development competition, with total prize money exceeding Dh2.5 million. The global contest will award Dh550,000 to the winner of each of four categories — Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent and Best Youth AI Agent (open to those under 21) — and will crown one overall AI Agent of the Year with a Dh1 million top prize. Registration is open to entrants worldwide submitting ideas, early-stage prototypes and minimum viable products; fully commercialised solutions are not eligible.

"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," said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, when announcing the championship at an awards ceremony held at Emirates Towers Boulevard.

The shift from app development to agentic AI reflects an emphasis on autonomous AI systems designed to tackle real-world problems. Entries will be judged across four distinct categories, each designed to surface different use cases: societal-impact agents, personalised assistants, business-facing agents and a youth category to encourage under-21 innovators. Category winners will each receive a grant of Dh550,000 (approximately $150,000), while the single overall champion will be awarded Dh1 million (about $272,000).

Support, training and eligibility

Organisers said the championship will run alongside a series of workshops and a Digital Academy offering advanced training courses and mentorship sessions throughout November and December to help participants refine concepts and prototypes. The competition accepts submissions from people of all ages and backgrounds worldwide, but explicitly excludes fully commercialised products to focus support on early-stage innovation.

• Categories: Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent, Best Youth AI Agent (under 21)
• Category grant: Dh550,000 each (~$150,000)
• AI Agent of the Year: Dh1,000,000 (~$272,000)
• Total prize pool: exceeds Dh2.5 million
• Support: workshops and a Digital Academy in November–December

The launch came during an awards ceremony that also celebrated winners from the Create Apps Championship, the programme the new competition replaces. POP by Kwelio, a smart medication-adherence app that uses behavioural science and predictive analytics, secured both the Longevity App of the Year award and the overall title of Dubai's App of the Year. Since the Create Apps Championship began in 2023 it has attracted 15,564 apps from 153 countries and supported the launch of more than 140 apps, figures cited at the event indicate.

Outlook

Organisers frame the Create AI Agents Championship as a deliberate pivot toward agentic AI capable of autonomous decision-making and problem-solving in sectors from health to commerce. With significant grants per category and a Dh1 million grand prize, the competition aims to accelerate early-stage experimentation rather than reward already-commercial solutions. Workshops and the Digital Academy are meant to bolster the pipeline of viable entrants through mentorship and technical training ahead of later judging rounds.