Dubai [UAE], November 4: The UAE Artificial Intelligence Office, in collaboration with Emirates NBD, organised the UAE Codes 2026: Build the Future with AI hackathon, an initiative designed to strengthen Emirati talent in digital technologies and equip participants with the skills to harness AI and coding to develop practical solutions for the banking sector, while enhancing its readiness to embrace rapid technological advancements.
Building on its previous UAE Codes initiatives, Emirates NBD expanded this year's programme into a two-day hackathon bringing together participants to exchange ideas, explore emerging technologies, and collaborate on real-world challenges.
The event brought together 100 Emirati employees from Emirates NBD Group and other banks in the region to create opportunities to learn, collaborate and exchange knowledge across the banking sector.
Working in cross-functional teams, participants explored real-world challenges using AI and coding tools.
Through hands-on experimentation, participants developed practical solutions, enhanced their problem-solving skills, and explored new technologies and learning from different perspectives.
Participants also engaged with industry experts, AI Programme alumni and technology leaders, gaining insights into emerging AI applications and their role in transforming organisations. The hackathon concluded with teams presenting their solutions to a panel of judges.
Project Ready, an AI-powered platform focused on personalised learning and career development; Career Lab, an AI-powered platform for practising real-world professional scenarios; and Mashoura, an AI-powered solution that helps employees navigate challenging workplace conversations, took first, second and third place, respectively.
Dr. Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the UAE AI Office, affirmed that UAE Codes Day reflects the UAE leadership's forward-looking vision to build a society equipped with the skills of the future and establish coding as an essential language of the digital age and a key driver of a technology-powered economy.
He emphasised that investing in Emirati talent and advancing national capabilities in coding, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies remains a strategic priority in the UAE's journey towards the future.
Al Mahmoud also highlighted that initiatives such as UAE Codes Day create new opportunities for Emirati talent to turn ideas into practical applications and develop innovative solutions that advance vital sectors.
He added that the partnership will further expand opportunities for national talent to contribute to technological innovation, develop new applications and lead digital transformation, reinforcing the UAE's position as a global hub for shaping the future of technology.
Eman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Emirates NBD, said, "AI is reshaping banking and the world, and the UAE intends to lead that transformation. Leadership starts with people, which is why we are investing in Emirati talent, so UAE Nationals are not just using these technologies, but leading their development and application. Through UAE Codes, they have the opportunity to experiment, compete head-to-head and build networks with industry leaders shaping AI."
The initiative reflects Emirates NBD's broader investment in AI and the development of future-ready skills. It also supports the UAE's ambition, set out in the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, to become one of the world's leading nations in AI by 2031.
In October 2021, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, directed that 29th October be designated annually as UAE Codes Day.
The occasion commemorates the launch of the region's first e-government initiative by His Highness on 29th October 2001, a pioneering milestone that laid the foundations for the region's digital transformation and supported the UAE's evolution into a nation driven by technology and innovation.
In November 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) adopted the UAE's proposal to designate 29th October as the International Day of Programming.
This recognition reflected the UAE's leadership in programming and technology and reaffirmed its position as a global destination for talent and creative minds from around the world
Source: Emirates News Agency
