Meet me at Dubai AI Festival.

Dubai AI Festival, 26 and 27 October

Dubai AI Festival 2026 takes place on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October at Dubai World Trade Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road. The conference runs from 10:00 to 17:00 on both days, and the exhibition opens an hour earlier, from 09:00 to 17:00. The organisers bring together founders, investors, startups and companies that already use AI in their work. See the official festival website.

3tf will be at the festival, and I will be there in person. I am not going to collect brochures. I am going to meet people who want to build something real for their business and to see which AI tools are ready for everyday work.

Why I am going

Most of my conversations with business owners in Dubai now start with the same question: what can AI actually do for my company this year? My honest answer is that it can already do a lot, but only when it is connected to the website, the CRM and the people who answer customers. A chatbot that cannot pass a qualified lead to a person, or an AI agent that has no access to the right data, is a demo, not a tool.

That is how we work at 3tf. We build fast websites, connect them to the CRM, set up advertising on Google, Meta and TikTok, and add AI where it saves time: chatbots that answer common questions day and night, assistants that prepare content, and automations that move leads to the right person. I wrote about our approach in Fast sites first, then marketing, and about the AI agent we are building for our own agency work in our entry to the Dubai AI Agents Championship.

At the festival I want to compare notes with other teams. Which AI use cases already pay for themselves? Which tools are mature enough for a small or medium business? Where do companies get stuck after the first pilot? I will bring what I learn back into our projects and share the most useful parts here on the blog.

Who I would like to meet

If you are thinking about building something for your project, I would be glad to meet you at the festival. Welcome. In particular:

Founders, marketing managers, property brokers, clinics, hotels, online shops and B2B companies are all welcome. You do not need a finished brief. Bring the problem you want to solve, and we will think about the smallest version that works.

How to meet me at the festival

The halls are large and two days pass quickly, so the easiest way is to message me first. Call or write on WhatsApp to +971 50 783 7050, and we will agree a time and a meeting point at Dubai World Trade Centre. You can also leave your mobile number in the form on this page. If the festival days do not suit you, we can meet after it at a time that works for you.

To make the conversation useful, it helps to have three things ready: a link to your current website or social pages, the one result you want in the next three months, and an approximate budget range. With that, we can usually say in fifteen minutes what we would build first and why.

Planning your visit

Registration is on the official festival website. Dubai World Trade Centre has its own station on the Red Line of the Dubai Metro, about a two-minute walk from the exhibition halls, as well as paid parking across the complex. Taxis drop off and pick up around the venue, and the airport is about 20 minutes away by car, depending on traffic.

The organisers also warn that they do not work with third-party companies that sell hotel bookings or attendee lists. If someone offers you either, check with the festival team first. Hall numbers and the agenda can change, so look at the official pages before you set off.

Source and editorial date

Primary sources, checked 26 October 2026: Dubai AI Festival; venue, timings and travel; Dubai World Trade Centre event listing. 3tf is attending as visitors and is not affiliated with the organisers; no partnership, sponsorship or exhibition stand is implied.