Dubai Future Forum Ends with Big Success

Dubai: The Dubai Future Forum 2025 ended on a high note at the Museum of the Future. The event was organised by the Dubai Future Foundation and welcomed more than 2,500 people from around the world. Over 200 speakers and more than 100 global organisations took part, making it the largest meeting of futurists anywhere in the world. The next Forum will take place on 17–18 November 2026.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, attended the Forum along with other members of the royal family. He honoured the winners of the first Dubai Foresight Awards and met participants from two major future-focused programmes in Dubai.

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also honoured winners of the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme, which aims to support ideas that can help people and communities.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, said that Dubai’s model for building the future is based on understanding changes early, spotting new opportunities, and preparing for what comes next. He explained that foresight helps guide projects and plans that improve life for people everywhere.

He added that Dubai will continue supporting scientists, innovators, and creators who are shaping tomorrow, and that the Dubai Future Forum aims to spread a global culture of looking ahead and planning wisely.

A number of important announcements were made at the Forum. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, shared that Dubai recorded the world’s first commercial AI-powered payment transaction outside the United States. This was done by Mastercard and Majid Al Futtaim on the morning of the Forum’s opening day.

The Forum was also filled with big predictions about the future. Speakers said that gene therapy could soon cure blood and liver diseases within five years, and that all known genetic diseases may be eliminated within ten years. Experts also believe that wearable technology will help people work more closely with artificial intelligence in daily life, and that by 2028, almost one-third of Fortune 500 CEOs may have digital twins that help them make decisions.

Some experts warned about risks too, saying that a super-intelligent AI with access to all human knowledge could be dangerous to humanity. Others shared concerns about the future job market, explaining that by 2060, for every 100 people working, 52 may be unemployed.

The Forum also highlighted key global facts: child mortality has dropped by half in the last 25 years; almost 2 billion people still do not have clean drinking water; and global solar power capacity passed 2,200 GW by the end of 2024. The UAE also shared updates about its plans for an Antarctica research base that can host more than 50 scientists.

During the event, the Dubai Future Foundation announced that 31 new international members joined the Global Futures Society, raising the total to 91 members from 33 countries.

Many important questions were discussed at the Forum, such as how AI will affect education and daily life, how societies can focus on human well-being instead of only economic growth, and how people can reconnect with nature while adopting new technologies.

The Forum included workshops, discussions, and special activities with global organisations. UNICEF also launched its new report called The Future of Childhood in a Changing World.

Talks were organised around five themes: Foresight Insights, Exploring the Unknown, Empowering Societies, Reimagining Health, and Optimising Systems. The second day included the Future Stories Awards, celebrating creative writers imagining the future.

The Future Stories Award received 185 entries from 47 countries. First place went to Thomas Knuijver from the Netherlands, second place to Pierluigi Fasano from Italy, and third place to Maryam Al Shawab from the UAE.

This year’s Forum partnered with many major organisations, including Dubai Municipality, Emirates Global Aluminium, Emirates Flight Catering, UNICEF, XPANCEO, The Explorers Club, Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, and universities from around the world.

A new report called The Future of Space Solar Power was also released, explaining how solar energy could one day be collected in space and sent back to Earth.

For the first time, the Forum included a Book Corner where visitors could meet authors, attend book signings, and explore new publications. Guests also enjoyed immersive experiences using virtual reality, augmented reality, and extended reality.

Dubai Future Foundation signed partnerships with Dubai Police to support research and digital innovation, and with The Explorers Club to work together on exploration, science, and global future projects.