Emirates NBD and UAE AI Office train 100 Emiratis to build banking AI tools
One hundred Emirati banking professionals spent two days building artificial intelligence tools for the financial sector, as the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office and Emirates NBD ran the UAE Codes 2026 hackathon under the banner Build the Future with AI.
Employees from Emirates NBD Group and other regional banks worked in cross-functional teams, experimenting with emerging technologies and developing practical solutions to real-world challenges facing banking, according to the Emirates News Agency. The format expanded Emirates NBD's previous involvement in UAE Codes into a two-day programme designed to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange across the industry.
Three AI-powered platforms took the top positions. Project Ready won first place with a platform focused on personalised learning and career development. Career Lab ranked second with a solution that lets users practise real-world professional scenarios, while Mashoura placed third with an AI platform designed to help employees navigate difficult workplace conversations.
Dr Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, a director at the UAE AI Office, said UAE Codes Day reflects the country's vision of building a society equipped with future skills and establishing coding as an essential language of the digital age. He said investing in Emirati talent and advancing national capabilities in coding, AI and emerging technologies remains a strategic priority as the UAE develops its technology-driven economy.
Eman Abdulrazzaq, group chief operating officer and group chief human resources officer at Emirates NBD, said: "AI is reshaping banking and the world, and the UAE intends to lead that transformation. Leadership starts with people, which is why we are investing in Emirati talent, so UAE Nationals are not just using these technologies, but leading their development and application." The initiative supports the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims to place the country among the world's leading nations in AI by that year.
