Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dr. Ahmed Dabbagh, Managing Director of Polynome AI Academy, outlined how leadership education and workforce readiness drive national AI ambitions during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Dr. Dabbagh shared these insights in an interview with Justin Cooke at the event.
Polynome AI Academy operates in partnership with Abu Dhabi School of Management and delivers executive education and professional training programs focused on artificial intelligence. Programs target government leaders, industry decision makers, SMEs, and working professionals. Training spans agentic systems, generative AI, and core artificial intelligence fundamentals.
“Our role is capacity building,” Dr. Dabbagh said. “The UAE strategy demands a workforce ready to deliver at scale.”
He linked talent development directly to national infrastructure initiatives such as the Stargate AI project, a five gigawatt data center program requiring large volumes of highly skilled professionals.
Dr. Dabbagh identified leadership as the defining factor behind the UAE’s AI progress. Long term strategic decisions, early semiconductor investments, global technology partnerships, and data sovereignty commitments formed the foundation for current momentum.
“Visionary leadership enabled every step,” he said. “Without leadership buy in, this ecosystem would not exist.”
The Academy’s approach prioritizes senior leadership education. By preparing decision makers first, AI initiatives gain institutional support and move faster into execution. Programs also support chief AI officers and senior executives responsible for translating strategy into operational outcomes.
“When leaders understand AI value, implementation accelerates,” Dr. Dabbagh said.
For leaders beginning their AI journey, his advice focused on urgency and mindset.
“AI defines the future economy,” he said. “Delay creates risk.”
Dr. Dabbagh described the Academy as a backbone for AI deployment across startups, enterprises, and government. While automation reshapes roles, new positions emerge that blend existing skills with AI capability.
“These roles evolve,” he said. “AI becomes a core competency across professions.”
On a personal level, Dr. Dabbagh highlighted leadership transformation as the most rewarding aspect of his work. Preparing executives to lead large scale AI initiatives across the UAE and internationally remains a source of pride.
“Watching leaders deliver critical AI projects validates this mission,” he said.
The interview reflected key themes of the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, national AI readiness, leadership education, workforce transformation, and long term strategic execution.
About Polynome AI Academy
Polynome AI Academy is an AI education initiative in the UAE by Polynome Group with Abu Dhabi School of Management. The academy runs training programs for executives, government leaders, and technical teams, including a Chief AI Officer program focused on AI strategy, governance, and deployment.
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Interview conducted by Justin Cooke at Machines Can Think Summit 2026