The Innovation Hub of the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF Innovation Hub), in collaboration with the UAE Banks Federation (UBF) and KPMG Middle East, has successfully concluded a two-day AI Innovation Workshop — a unique forum aimed at accelerating the responsible adoption of Agentic AI across the UAE’s banking sector.
The initiative was led by the EIF Innovation Hub as a platform for financial innovation, organised by the UAE Banks Federation as the industry convener, and supported by KPMG Middle East as the strategic advisor and facilitator.
Agentic AI, an emerging class of intelligent systems with capabilities for autonomous reasoning and adaptive learning, is poised to revolutionise the way banks manage risk, combat fraud, and enhance customer experiences through personalisation and efficiency.
Held over two days at the EIF Innovation Hub in Dubai, the workshop brought together senior executives and innovation experts from leading UAE banks, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and HSBC. The sessions served as a platform for collaboration, ideation, and prototyping of practical AI-driven solutions addressing the industry’s evolving needs — from risk management and regulatory compliance to customer engagement and operational excellence.
Structured in a hackathon-style format, the forum encouraged participants to explore Agentic AI applications through design thinking and iterative prototyping. Teams identified key challenges, developed working prototypes, and presented their ideas to a jury panel comprising representatives from the EIF Innovation Hub, UAE Banks Federation, participating banks, and KPMG Middle East. Evaluation criteria focused on problem definition, technical feasibility, AI governance, and business impact. Using KPMG Middle East’s Innovation Funnel Framework, teams progressed through phases of challenge definition, ideation, experimentation, and scaling, demonstrating innovative AI concepts and assessing their potential value and practical implementation.
Marwan Abunwas Almheiri, General Manager of the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF), said, “The EIF Innovation Hub was established to drive collaboration between regulators, banks, and ecosystem partners in shaping the future of financial services. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to advancing responsible innovation and ensuring that emerging technologies such as Agentic AI are applied safely and effectively across the sector.”
Jamal Saleh, Director-General, UAE Banks Federation, said, “Through initiatives such as this, we continue to strengthen the UAE’s position as a regional leader in financial innovation and digital transformation. The collaboration between UBF, the EIF Innovation Hub, and KPMG underscores the sector’s shared commitment to advancing the safe and effective use of AI. Our focus is to ensure that innovation serves people, builds trust, and drives long-term competitiveness across the financial system.”
Jamal Habahbeh, Head of Financial Services at KPMG Middle East, added, “Agentic AI is redefining how institutions approach automation and decision making. Backed by the UAE government’s bold national investment in artificial intelligence, EIF Innovation Hub is taking the lead in driving AI adoption across the financial sector moving from theory to responsible, real-world implementation. By embedding design-led experimentation within strong governance frameworks, the UAE’s banking ecosystem is setting a global benchmark for innovation and trust. We are proud to support this journey, helping translate the nation’s digital ambitions into measurable, lasting impact.”
This initiative underscores the UAE’s commitment to advancing its National AI Strategy 2031 through collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, and global advisors. Insights and prototypes developed during the workshop will help inform future innovation sprints under the EIF Innovation Hub, further driving AI-led transformation and responsible technology adoption across the UAE’s banking industry.
(Inputs from WAM)
