Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sonali Maheshwary, Director of Digital Marketing and Transformation and Consultant, spoke at the Machines Can Think Summit 2026 about the role of artificial intelligence in marketing, communications, and digital transformation. Maheshwary appeared in an interview with Justin Cooke during the event.
Maheshwary brings more than two decades of regional experience, having lived in the UAE for 25 years. Professional roles include leadership positions at AD Ports Group, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Abu Dhabi. Current work focuses on digital marketing transformation and advisory services across public and private sectors.
Maheshwary attended the summit due to ongoing work in applying AI to marketing efficiency and digital engagement. AI tools support workflow optimization, digital interfaces, and interaction between people and technology.
“AI supports efficiency and improves how teams interact with digital channels,” Maheshwary said. “Early adoption helped teams focus time and effort where value matters.”
AI deployment began several years ago through targeted use cases aimed at team productivity. Personal experimentation with emerging tools continues in order to assess limitations, risks, and future challenges.
Maheshwary highlighted strong enthusiasm for the UAE’s leadership in artificial intelligence. Long term national investment across cloud infrastructure, sovereign systems, education, governance, and digital economy initiatives positions the country at the forefront of regional AI adoption.
“The UAE places people at the center of AI strategy,” Maheshwary said. “Education, governance, and open collaboration shape this approach.”
Looking ahead, Maheshwary described AI adoption as both a learning curve and a competitive race. The UAE and GCC region lead through infrastructure scale, connectivity, and national coordination. Events such as Machines Can Think reflect this momentum.
For marketing leaders exploring AI, Maheshwary stressed the importance of trust building. Teams should start with practical use cases tied to daily challenges. Incremental adoption supports confidence and long term success.
“Transparency protects brand credibility,” Maheshwary said. “Marketing teams must address misinformation and deep fakes with clear processes and accountability.”
On workforce readiness, Maheshwary identified critical thinking as the most important skill for future professionals. AI output requires human review, risk awareness, and bias detection across every interaction.
“Human judgment stays essential,” Maheshwary said. “Critical review protects quality and trust.”
The discussion reflected core themes of the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, responsible AI adoption, human centered design, and practical transformation across industries.
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Interview conducted by Justin Cooke at Machines Can Think Summit 2026