Finance has always relied on careful decisions and trusted systems, and the UAE is now showing real ambition in bringing AI into that world thoughtfully. The country is building and scaling AI companies across key sectors, with AI-driven finance emerging as one of the biggest areas of opportunity, reshaping how capital is deployed and how banks operate.
This momentum was on full display at AI Everything Abu Dhabi 2026, held October 6 and 7 at the ADNEC Centre, where the UAE Ministry of Investment joined global investors, financial institutions, and fintech firms to explore what comes next for AI-driven finance.
Real Numbers Behind Abu Dhabi’s Financial Growth
The scale of this AI-driven finance opportunity is already visible within Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem. Abu Dhabi Global Market, known as ADGM, is investing more than Dh400 million through 2029 to expand its AI capabilities, strengthen digital infrastructure, and modernise its regulatory and operational systems. Its asset management ecosystem has also grown impressively, now home to 190 fund and asset managers overseeing 276 funds, reflecting Abu Dhabi Global Market’s rising importance in the region.
A Clear National Ambition
H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of the UAE Ministry of Investment, explained that the country’s ambition goes beyond simply attracting investment. The goal is to build and scale more AI companies, expand AI applications across sectors, deepen local capabilities, and create high-value jobs.
Central to this strategy is Domestic Direct Investment, alongside foreign direct investment. The Minister highlighted that the UAE’s Domestic Direct Investment is estimated at $100 billion to $119 billion, roughly two to two and a half times the country’s annual foreign direct investment inflows, with sovereign funds, family offices, and private enterprises investing alongside international capital.
He added that what truly sets the UAE apart is not any single incentive, but how its advantages work together: long-term government ambition, access to decision-makers, a forward-looking regulatory environment, strong infrastructure, and the ability to attract and retain the right talent.
AI Agents Bringing New Intelligence to Investing
Genesis AI, an AI-powered investment advisory company based in Cairo and Dubai, unveiled its ‘Financial Idea’ platform at the event, which coordinates more than 15 specialised AI agents across valuation, portfolio risk, market sentiment, trading signals, and Shariah compliance. Yousef Eldosoky, Product Manager at Genesis AI, shared that the future belongs to orchestrated multi-agent systems, where specialist agents work simultaneously, and a master layer produces one trusted recommendation.
Exhibitor FairValuation.com also showcased how it turns financial data into board-ready decisions within minutes, covering valuations and listed-company analysis, with every output designed to be credible, traceable, and ready for scrutiny.
Building Secure Infrastructure for Banking
Scaling AI responsibly requires infrastructure that can run securely alongside critical banking systems. Red Hat showcased Red Hat AI on an open hybrid cloud with sovereign AI capabilities. Adrian Pickering, General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Red Hat, explained that organisations that succeed will weave AI directly into how they already work, while ensuring local teams can supervise what systems are doing.
Fighting Fraud Without Moving Sensitive Data
UAE-based fintech companies are also tackling real challenges creatively. FedTuna, a federated-learning platform, allows financial institutions to train shared machine-learning models while keeping sensitive records within each organisation. In a two-bank pilot, the technology reportedly increased early fraud capture by 2.0 to 3.7 percentage points at a 1 per cent false-positive rate, equivalent to around 43 additional fraud cases detected per test period.
Artem Gerasimov, Founder and CEO of FedTuna, explained that a fraud pattern unfamiliar to one bank may already be known to another, and the goal is to turn that shared experience into measurable improvements while records stay within each bank’s control.
Helping Everyday Savers Become Investors
Abu Dhabi-headquartered SouqView, an AI-powered, gamified investing app, previewed its V2 version at the event. Since launching in March 2026, the app has attracted more than 400 registered users, offering simulated portfolios using live market data across more than 10,000 UAE and US stocks, with around 70 per cent of users currently profitable in their simulated portfolios. SouqView also won the Fintech Sector award at the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award in July 2026 and secured a six-figure Khalifa Fund grant.
Why This Momentum Deserves Appreciation
This growth in AI-driven finance, on display at AI Everything Abu Dhabi, deserves appreciation for several reasons:
- It pairs ambitious national goals with real, measurable investment figures
- It supports innovative local fintech companies, not just large global players
- It applies AI thoughtfully to serious challenges like fraud detection
- It helps everyday people build financial confidence before risking real money
Conclusion
This growing focus on AI-driven finance reflects genuine, well-rounded ambition, combining national investment strategy with real innovation from local startups. From fraud detection to beginner-friendly investing tools, this AI-driven finance momentum shows a thoughtful, practical approach to bringing AI into one of the world’s most important industries.
If your organisation wants guidance on navigating AI adoption in AI-driven finance or beyond, Horizontal8 is here to help. Reach out to Horizontal8 today, and let’s talk about building a considered AI strategy together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is driving the UAE’s push into AI-driven finance?Â
The UAE aims to build and scale AI companies, deepen local capabilities, and strengthen its position as a global AI centre, with finance identified as a major growth area.
How much is Abu Dhabi Global Market investing in AI?Â
ADGM is investing more than Dh400 million through 2029 to expand its AI capabilities and modernise its regulatory and operational systems.
What is Domestic Direct Investment in the UAE context?Â
It refers to investment from within the UAE, estimated at $100 billion to $119 billion, roughly two to two and a half times the country’s annual foreign direct investment.
How is AI being used to fight financial fraud?Â
Platforms like FedTuna use federated learning to let banks share fraud-detection insights without moving sensitive customer data between institutions.
What is SouqView, and how does it help new investors?Â
It is an AI-powered, gamified investing app that lets users build simulated portfolios with live market data before investing real money.