Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has unveiled The Academy, a new initiative designed to bring artificial intelligence research into closer dialogue with the arts, leadership and the humanities. The Academy aims to serve as a global platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The launch took place in the presence of His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Member of the MBZUAI Board of Trustees, and Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor at MBZUAI. The announcement coincided with the university’s five-year milestone celebrations, the graduation of the sixth MBZUAI Executive Program cohort and the unveiling of the AI x Arts Fellowship.
The inaugural fellowship cohort features eight internationally recognised figures, including Refik Anadol, James Gerde, Emi Kusano and Lachlan Turczan, alongside Amrita Sethi, Daniel Ambrosi, Ahmad AlAttar and curator Giuseppe Moscatello. Two residencies in Abu Dhabi scheduled for 2026 will enable collaboration with AI scientists and cultural institutions.
Spring Chunxiao Fu, Managing Director at the MBZUAI Academy said: “The launch of The Academy reflects the mission of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to move AI beyond the laboratory and into the heart of society. By bringing together the world’s greatest minds – from the artists in our new fellowship to the leaders in our executive programmes – we hope to shape the narratives and elevate the global conversation beyond technology to purpose and impact, while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s ambitious role in the global AI landscape.”
The launch event was hosted at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, where guests viewed works from MBZUAI’s collections that chart the cultural interpretation of scientific progress.
The Academy also includes the MBZUAI Executive Program, which has trained more than 200 senior leaders to apply AI to real-world challenges.
The event concluded with Leading Capstone Projects, including an AI-powered personalised longevity companion designed to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. More regional news is available at https://abudhabi-news.com/.
