Lt. Colonel Dr. Essa Almutawa of Dubai Civil Defense to Highlight AI in Public Safety and Emergency Response at Dubai AI Festival 2025

The Dubai AI Festival 2025 is proud to announce Lt. Colonel Dr. Essa Almutawa, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Director of the Department of Monitoring and Inspection at Dubai Civil Defense (DCD), as a distinguished speaker. With a career dedicated to safety innovation, emergency preparedness, and smart city resilience, Dr. Essa is leading Dubai’s efforts to embed AI in fire prevention, inspection, and life-saving systems—making the city a global model for intelligent public safety infrastructure.

A Strategic Leader in AI-Driven Civil Protection

In his multifaceted leadership role at Dubai Civil Defense, Dr. Essa is responsible for:

  • AI strategy and deployment across emergency response, fire incident analysis, and inspection operations
  • Heading the Global Indicators for Fire Incidents, aligning Dubai’s fire safety benchmarks with world-class standards
  • Overseeing national-level monitoring and inspection protocols, ensuring compliance with UAE and international safety regulations

His work ensures that the DCD not only meets today’s public safety challenges—but anticipates tomorrow’s, using data and intelligence to protect lives and infrastructure more effectively.

Pioneering the Use of AI in Fire Safety and Inspection Systems

Under Dr. Essa’s leadership, DCD is utilizing artificial intelligence to transform operational workflows, improve responsiveness, and reduce risk. These innovations include:

  • AI-powered inspection systems that automate hazard detection and code enforcement
  • Predictive analytics for fire prevention and high-risk area monitoring
  • Real-time dashboards for incident tracking, response optimization, and smart alerts
  • Seamless integration with Dubai’s broader smart city and digital governance ecosystem

Dr. Essa’s contributions are making Dubai one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world for intelligent civil defense operations.

Keynote at Dubai AI Festival 2025: “AI for Safety – Building Smarter Emergency and Inspection Systems”

At the Dubai AI Festival 2025, Lt. Colonel Dr. Essa Almutawa will deliver a keynote titled:
“AI for Safety: Building Smarter Emergency and Inspection Systems.”

This session will explore:

  • How Dubai Civil Defense is using AI to enhance fire prevention, safety compliance, and incident response
  • The development of global fire safety indicators powered by real-time intelligence
  • Lessons in designing AI systems for high-stakes, mission-critical public services
  • The future of AI in emergency preparedness, city resilience, and urban safety policy

His keynote will resonate with public sector innovators, emergency response leaders, urban safety experts, and AI developers building for high-impact civic applications.


Lt. Colonel Dr. Essa Almutawa’s participation at the Dubai AI Festival 2025 underscores the UAE’s commitment to using AI for public good—transforming cities into safer, smarter, and more responsive environments for all.