Anyone with an idea for an AI agent now has a shot at AED 1 million, and entry is free. Dubai has opened the Create AI Agents Championship, a global competition with a total prize pool of more than AED 2.5 million.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, announced the launch and called on builders around the world to take part. "We invite innovators worldwide to share their ideas," he wrote. The contest is led by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
Four Categories, One AI Agent of the Year
Entries compete in four categories: Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent and Best Youth AI Agent. Each category winner receives AED 550,000, about $150,000, to keep developing their solution. One of those four winners will also be named AI Agent of the Year and receive AED 1 million on top.
So what counts as an AI agent? It is software that does more than reply to questions. An agent can plan steps, make decisions and complete tasks on its own, with less hand-holding from a person.
No Code, No Age Limit, No Entry Fee
You do not need to be an engineer to compete. The championship is open to people from technical and non-technical backgrounds, and there is no minimum age. Individuals and teams can enter with an idea, a prototype or an early minimum viable product, while existing companies can submit a new AI-agent product or feature.
Along the way, participants get training, practical workshops, self-paced learning content and mentorship. Each entry needs a working prototype, a pitch deck and a demo video.
The Road to the May 2027 Final
Registration opened on 7 October and closes in December 2026. Semifinalists will be announced in February 2027, and the Grand Final takes place in the first week of May 2027, according to the official championship page.
A Free Shot for Lebanese Builders
For founders in Lebanon and across the region, the format removes the usual barriers. There is no fee, no need to relocate to apply, and a single category win brings roughly $150,000 in grant money to build the product further. Judges are looking for agents with real use cases and the potential to grow into products, services or companies.
From Apps to Agents
The new contest grows out of Create Apps in Dubai, the chamber's initiative for app development and digital skills. Winners of the third Create Apps Championship were honoured at Emirates Towers Boulevard on the day the AI agents contest was announced. Across its three editions, the app competition reportedly drew 15,564 applications from 153 countries.
It also fits into a wider push by Dubai Chambers to move private companies onto agentic AI. In September, the chamber launched training tracks for more than 14,000 member companies of its business groups and business councils.
Applications are open now on the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy website, with the window closing in December.
