Emirates NBD and UAE AI Office harness Emirati talent through coding hackathon

A two-day innovation challenge brings together banking professionals to develop AI-powered solutions, reinforcing the UAE's commitment to nurturing home-grown technological leadership.

One hundred Emirati professionals gathered recently for an intensive exploration of artificial intelligence and coding, working in cross-functional teams to tackle real-world challenges facing the banking sector. The UAE Codes 2026 hackathon, organised by the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office in partnership with Emirates NBD, reflected a deepening commitment to equipping national talent with the digital fluency that underpins modern financial services and technological innovation.

The two-day event brought together participants from Emirates NBD Group and other regional banks, creating an environment where ideas could be tested, emerging technologies explored, and knowledge shared across institutional boundaries. Working hands-on with AI and coding tools, teams engaged with practical problems, developing solutions whilst learning from industry experts, technology leaders and alumni of the UAE’s growing AI education programmes. The experience extended beyond technical training: participants gained insight into how emerging artificial intelligence applications are reshaping organisations and the broader economy.

Three solutions emerged as standouts from the presentations to the judging panel. Project Ready, an AI-powered platform focused on personalised learning and career development, secured first place, followed by Career Lab, which uses artificial intelligence to simulate real-world professional scenarios, and Mashoura, a solution designed to help employees navigate challenging workplace conversations.

Dr. Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the UAE AI Office, spoke of the initiative as embodying the UAE leadership’s forward-looking vision. Building a society equipped with the skills of the future, he emphasised, requires establishing coding as an essential language of the digital age. As we reported in our coverage of Samsung’s Innovation Campus welcoming 250 Emirati nationals for advanced training, these programmes form part of a broader strategy to position Emiratis not merely as users of technology, but as architects of it.

Eman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Emirates NBD, observed that artificial intelligence is reshaping banking globally, and that leadership in this transformation begins with investing in people. The hackathon offers Emirati talent the opportunity to experiment, compete and build networks with industry leaders shaping the technology itself.

The initiative aligns with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which sets the nation’s ambition to become one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence powers within the decade. The hackathon also marks a continuation of UAE Codes Day, established by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 29th October 2021 to commemorate the launch of the region’s first e-government initiative on the same date in 2001, a pioneering step that laid foundations for the UAE’s digital transformation. In November 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation adopted the UAE’s proposal to designate 29th October as the International Day of Programming, acknowledging the nation’s leadership in these fields.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The hackathon represents a tangible investment in the skills that will drive the UAE’s knowledge economy forward. By equipping Emirati professionals with practical experience in artificial intelligence and coding, and creating space for them to innovate within the banking sector, these programmes directly strengthen the nation’s capacity for technological self-sufficiency and homegrown innovation. The solutions developed during the event address real challenges, demonstrating that Emirati talent, when given opportunity and support, can lead rather than follow in technological advancement.

For Abu Dhabi specifically, this initiative reinforces the emirate’s position as a centre for digital transformation and financial innovation. As the UAE’s capital and a major hub for banking and financial services, Abu Dhabi benefits from the enhanced capabilities and networks that emerge when national talent collaborates across institutions. The commitment to developing future-ready skills supports the emirate’s broader economic diversification and technological ambitions, ensuring that Emirati professionals remain at the forefront of shaping how artificial intelligence transforms their sectors and society.

Source: WAM

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