MBZUAI opens The Academy as AI leadership moves beyond the lab
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has launched The Academy, a new institutional platform designed to convene global dialogue on artificial intelligence across research, policy, industry, and culture.
The launch coincides with the university’s five-year milestone and signals a broader push to position AI leadership, governance, and real-world impact alongside technical research.
The event took place in Abu Dhabi and was attended by senior government figures, university leadership, partners, and alumni from MBZUAI’s Executive Program. The university positions The Academy as a core strategic pillar, intended to operate as both a leadership laboratory and a global think tank focused on the societal implications of AI.
A platform linking research to real-world impact
MBZUAI says The Academy is designed to act as a bridge between advanced AI research and practical decision-making, supporting senior leaders as they navigate adoption, governance, and ethical considerations. Programming spans executive education, thought leadership, and curated convenings that bring together expertise from science, policy, industry, and the arts.
Speaking at the launch, Eric Xing, President and University Professor at MBZUAI, described The Academy as a forum to “promote new ideas and discover emerging problems, nurturing collective wisdom to create greater impact in the community.”
The launch also marked the graduation of the sixth cohort of the MBZUAI Executive Program, alongside the presentation of capstone projects, including an AI-powered personalized longevity companion focused on improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare spending in Abu Dhabi.
Leadership, learning, and dialogue
In a LinkedIn post following the launch, Wadia Ait Hamza said the creation of The Academy reflected MBZUAI’s wider ambition to ground AI development in real-world context. She wrote that the platform “creates a space where people from science, policy, industry, and culture can come together for thoughtful, grounded conversations about how AI actually shows up in the world.”
She added that the launch of The Academy felt like “a natural extension” of MBZUAI’s ecosystem, emphasizing AI not only as a technology, but as a force with social, cultural, and geopolitical implications.
Spring Chunxiao Fu, Managing Director of The Academy, also reflected on the milestone in a LinkedIn post, writing: “We aspire to be the bridge and translator between serious research to real world impact.”
AI meets culture through new fellowship
As part of the launch, MBZUAI announced its first AI x Arts Fellowship, bringing together eight internationally recognized artists and creative practitioners to work alongside MBZUAI researchers. Through residency programs in Abu Dhabi, fellows will collaborate on projects at the intersection of art, science, and technology, while engaging with museums and cultural institutions across the emirate.
MBZUAI says the fellowship reflects a commitment to expanding how AI is imagined, interpreted, and experienced in society, reinforcing The Academy’s broader mission to explore AI not just as a technical system, but as a driver of cultural and societal change.
The university positions The Academy as a long-term effort to support AI leadership and systems thinking, as organizations grapple with how AI is governed, adopted, and applied at scale.
ETIH Innovation Awards 2026
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 are now open and recognize education technology organizations delivering measurable impact across K–12, higher education, and lifelong learning. The awards are open to entries from the UK, the Americas, and internationally, with submissions assessed on evidence of outcomes and real-world application.
