Crown Prince of Dubai meets with Elon Musk
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense of the United Arab Emirates, met Elon Musk in Dubai as the emirate doubles down on global partnerships to accelerate future technologies, including AI and advanced digital infrastructure.
The meeting, held at Sheikh Hamdan’s majlis in Nad Al Sheba, focused on how emerging technologies can be applied to development priorities, and how Dubai’s policy environment can keep pace with fast-moving innovation. Dubai’s Government Media Office said the discussion also highlighted the role of forward-looking regulation, incentives, and talent attraction in strengthening Dubai’s position as a global destination for technology and innovation.
The discussion highlighted the pace of global technological change, and explored ways to benefit from new applications across sectors, with a focus on building effective partnerships with leading technology developers. Dubai’s leadership also emphasized the importance of keeping legislation and regulation aligned with rapid innovation, and maintaining incentives that attract specialized talent to contribute new ideas and technical expertise.
The meeting comes as Dubai expands its research and commercialization engine. In recent days, Dubai announced a new Research, Development and Innovation Ecosystem under the Dubai Future Foundation, designed to unify research, regulation, and advanced technology development across the emirate. A major component is Sandbox Dubai, which provides a structured pathway for testing new products and business models under adaptive regulatory supervision, a model that can reduce time-to-market for emerging technologies.
Dubai’s Government Media Office said Musk praised the United Arab Emirates’ forward-looking approach and progress in technology, artificial intelligence, and space, while Sheikh Hamdan reaffirmed Dubai’s commitment to a pro-innovation environment built on flexible legislation, effective partnerships, and investment in human capital.
