Sheikh Hamdan Launches Create AI Agents Championship With AED2.5 Million-Plus Prize Pool

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, marking the next evolution of the Create Apps Championship and shifting its focus from digital applications to autonomous AI-agent systems.

The global competition will feature four categories: Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent, and Best Youth AI Agent. Each category winner will receive an AED550,000 grant, while one of the four winners will also be named AI Agent of the Year and receive AED1 million. The championship’s total prize pool exceeds AED2.5 million.

The competition is designed to encourage participants to develop AI-agent systems integrated into practical applications that address real user needs and market requirements. Participants will identify priority challenges, design AI agents to address them, test their impact, and explore their potential to become scalable products, services, and commercial ventures.

The launch forms part of Dubai’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI and prepare its business ecosystem to harness the technology, with a focus on expanding its economic and commercial applications and creating new opportunities for innovation and growth.

The championship is open to innovators worldwide from both technical and non-technical backgrounds, with no minimum age requirement. Individuals and teams can enter with an idea, prototype, or early-stage minimum viable product (MVP), while existing businesses can submit a new AI-agent solution or capability. Fully commercialized solutions are not eligible.

The Best Societal AI Agent category will recognize solutions designed to generate positive social impact across areas including social cohesion, inclusion, education, sustainability, and resilience. Best Personal AI Agent will focus on solutions that improve daily life, productivity, health, well-being, and personal decision-making.

Best Business AI Agent will recognize solutions that help public- and private-sector organizations improve workflows, services, decision-making, and customer experience. Best Youth AI Agent is open to participants under the age of 21 at the time of registration. Team entries in the youth category must be led by a participant who meets the same age requirement.

Registration is now open to innovators, entrepreneurs, students, and technology developers from around the world.

Three introductory workshops on Agentic AI will follow the launch. In November, the Digital Academy will open with four advanced training courses, four practical workshops, and mentorship sessions. Participants will also have access to self-paced learning content and specialized sessions to help develop their solutions and prepare their pitches.

Registration will close in December 2026, with entrants required to submit an AI-agent prototype, pitch deck, and demo video.

Sheikh Hamdan said the initiative builds on the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen human capabilities and enable people to benefit from advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, while reinforcing Dubai’s position across technology-driven sectors.

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