Forum discusses growth of Agentic AI Transformation in the region

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

DUBAI: The Harvard Business School Club of the GCC, in collaboration with Keystone, hosted Growing in Unity: AI & Transformational Leadership in Practice, forum recently in Dubai, convening top UAE government officials, enterprise leaders, academics, and Harvard Business School alumni for a landmark conversation at the intersection of Agentic AI and transformational leadership.

The event, inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai’s vision to make the UAE the first government globally to operate with 50% of government sectors, services, and operations run on autonomous AI agents, held in the spirit of the UAE's Year of Family, bringing together senior figures from government, the private sector, and academia to explore how GCC organisations can harness AI not only for operational performance but to strengthen the human foundations that make sustainable growth possible.

Mohamed Bin Taliah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Knowledge Exchange Affairs, delivered his inaugural Harvard Business School community keynote address and shared key insights about the UAE's AI strategy and transformational leadership vision for national growth. The keynote was followed by a fireside conversation moderated by Dr Caroline Faraj, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of CNN Arabic.

“Under the UAE’s visionary leadership, we are approaching AI not merely as a technological transformation, but as a human transformation. Through its ambition to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI across government, the UAE is shaping a global model for how AI can enhance people’s quality of life, empower governments to become more proactive and responsive, and create more space for human connection, creativity, and meaningful impact,” said Mohamed Bin Taliah.

A senior panel moderated by Andy Gandhi, Senior Partner at Keystone, then examined practical dimensions of AI adoption in strategy, governance, and the future of work. Panelists included Eng. Amal Abdulrahim, Assistant Undersecretary, Support Services Sector, and Chief AI & Innovation Officer at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; Mubaraka Ibrahim, CAIO and CIO of Emirates Health Services; and Dr Melodena Stephens, Professor of Innovation & Technology Governance at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government.

“The Harvard Business School Club of the GCC supports the UAE's bold and forward-thinking leadership in Agentic AI: a defining frontier that will reshape the fabric of business and society for generations to come. We are launching learning initiatives and ensuring our community is committed to translating this national vision into tangible, high-impact outcomes: driving responsible innovation, championing ethical frameworks, and ensuring that the promise of AI is realized with the guardrails our industries and communities deserve,” stated Saleh Lootah, Club President, HBS Club of the GCC.

“UAE has time and again shown with remarkable consistency and resolve that true national leadership in technology is inseparable from a commitment to societal value. Keystone is proud to establish its inaugural UAE office in Dubai in alignment with the country’s ambitions. We are excited to support all sectors as strategic partners invested in the country's long-term transformation by bringing in our global network of world-class AI and technology experts. We are committed to accelerating the UAE's position as a global epicenter of intelligent, human-centered innovation,” commented Andy Gandhi, Senior Partner and Global Investigations and Risk Lead, Keystone.

The forum underscored the UAE's emergence as a leading voice in responsible and human-centered AI adoption, with participants noting that the most enduring legacies in the region will be built not on technology alone, but on the trust, cohesion, and leadership values that define the GCC's identity.