Dubai Chambers Recognises Agentic AI Excellence with New Business Award Category

Dubai's business community now has a dedicated platform to showcase innovation in artificial intelligence, as Dubai Chambers introduces a prestigious new category honouring companies leading the practical transformation of their operations through advanced autonomous technology.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award has expanded its remit to celebrate the companies reshaping their enterprises through Agentic AI, a technology that enables systems to execute tasks, coordinate workflows and support decision-making with a degree of autonomy whilst maintaining human oversight and robust governance controls.

The new category recognises Dubai-based private sector companies demonstrating excellence in the practical and responsible implementation of these systems to achieve tangible business results. Open to enterprises across all sectors, it marks a significant evolution in how business achievement is measured in an increasingly technology-driven economy, reflecting Dubai’s commitment to fostering innovation and digital leadership.

Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, emphasised the strategic importance of this recognition. Agentic AI, he noted, represents a key driver of business competitiveness, innovation and growth, with the award designed to encourage companies to adopt these technologies responsibly whilst translating their potential into measurable economic value. The category forms part of Dubai’s broader private sector Agentic AI transformation programme, overseen by Dubai Chambers in accordance with directives from H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

The selection process itself reflects the calibre of the initiative. Entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of expert judges against a framework benchmarked to international best practices, across four essential dimensions: Agentic AI Talent Readiness; Agentic AI Implementation and Successful Use Cases; Cyber Security Alignment; and Measurable Business Results. The assessment examines not merely the sophistication of companies’ technological ambitions, but their readiness to adopt, manage and scale these systems effectively, the integration and scalability of their use cases, and measurable improvements in productivity, growth, customer experience, sustainability and competitive position.

Shortlisted applicants will present their use cases directly to the jury panel, which will conduct a comprehensive assessment before selecting a single winner. This rigorous approach ensures that recognition goes to those companies that have progressed beyond experimentation to successfully deploy Agentic AI applications at scale across their operations. As we reported earlier in October, Dubai Chambers had already introduced its Chamber AI Hub, a pioneering marketplace offering specialised AI agents to streamline business operations across compliance, procurement, finance and other key functions, underscoring the organisation’s commitment to supporting digital transformation across the private sector.

The award category joins three others under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award umbrella: the Outstanding Business Award, sponsored by Dubai Chambers; the Family Business Award, sponsored by Dubai Chamber of Commerce; and the Global Expansion Award, sponsored by Dubai International Chamber. This expansion reflects how Dubai Chambers continues to equip local enterprises with the tools and recognition they require to compete on the global stage. Launched in 2005 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the overarching award programme operates beneath the umbrella of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This expansion of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award signals the growing importance of artificial intelligence adoption across the Gulf region’s private sector. By formalising recognition of Agentic AI implementation, Dubai Chambers has established a benchmark for responsible and scaled technology adoption that acknowledges both innovation and governance. The emphasis on measurable business results rather than theoretical capability means that companies demonstrating genuine competitive advantage through these systems will set the standard others aspire to match.

For the broader business community, the new category reinforces the region’s commitment to responsible digital transformation. The focus on cybersecurity alignment, human oversight and governance safeguards reflects a sophisticated understanding that technological advancement must proceed hand in hand with prudent risk management. As the private sector responds to this recognition, businesses across the Emirates are likely to accelerate their own evaluation of how Agentic AI might enhance their operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities, contributing to the digital economy objectives the region has prioritised.

Source: WAM