The ninth edition of the Knowledge Summit, organized by the the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), concluded successfully in Dubai. The Summit hosted over 100 global speakers across more than 40 sessions, with over 3,000 participants in attendance and the live stream reaching over 22,000 viewers via the Summit website and social media platforms.

Held under the theme 'Future Skills and the Artificial Intelligence Economy’ on 18-19 November 2024, the Summit focused on the importance of developing future skills in light of the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the economy and the workforce.

A key highlight of the Summit was hosting the inaugural meeting of the ‘Global Skills Coalition,’ aimed at bridging the skills gap in the Arab States by fostering collaboration between international organizations, governments, the private sector, and tech companies.

Additionally, the Summit hosted the ‘3rd UNESCO World Open Educational Resources (OER) Congress’ for the first time in the region, attended by senior officials and experts from around the world.

Who topped the list of countries in the 2024 Global Knowledge Index? Sweden ranked first globally, while the UAE secured the top spot in the Arab world, according to this year's index results announced during the event. The Summit also featured a unique interactive experience with the robot Sophia, who not only took part as a speaker but also engaged in insightful conversations with attendees.

The summit showcased a diverse range of insightful sessions on various aspects of AI, including 'AI Meets HI: Who is Driving the Future of Technology,' 'AI: Agents and the Future of Truth,' 'AI: A Double-Edged Sword,' 'Empathy in Algorithms: Enhancing AI with EQ,' and 'Next-Gen Ready: Gear Up for What’s Ahead,' among others.

For those who missed the Summit, the recordings of all sessions and talks will be available soon. Stay tuned!