At the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2024 (AMGFC24), Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, emphasized that agile regulation is crucial for fostering rapid yet responsible innovation in the Intelligent Age.
Speaking at the event, Belhoul highlighted Dubai’s role as a global testing ground for emerging technologies, supported by the UAE’s adaptive governance approach.
“Regulations will never match the pace of innovation. The key is how agile you can make your regulatory frameworks,”
Belhoul stated, underscoring the need for flexible systems to accelerate technological advancements. He explained how Dubai’s collaborative model, which brings together government, industry, and researchers, creates sandbox environments to safely test and deploy innovations.
The event’s closing plenary, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” featured prominent speakers, including Erik Brynjolfsson from Stanford University and Samir Saran, President of the Observer Research Foundation.
Saran noted the UAE’s leadership in climate action and technology governance, while warning of the risks of AI concentration in a few hands.
Discussions also covered AI’s role in energy efficiency and industry transformation, with insights from Emma FitzGerald of Seplat Energy and Brynjolfsson. Megan Palmer of iGEM highlighted synthetic biology’s potential to revolutionize sectors by integrating with AI.
Hosted by the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum, AMGFC24 attracted over 700 participants from 80 countries to shape the agenda for the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting in Davos.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
