Dubai:The 2026 Annual Meetings of the Global Future Leaders convened five Opportunity Labs to transform future challenges into practical solutions. Organized through a partnership between the UAE Government, the World Economic Forum, and the Dubai Future Foundation, these sessions brought young leaders together with global experts, researchers, and policymakers to explore priorities spanning science, artificial intelligence, resilience, decision-making, and the future of work.
According to Emirates News Agency, each lab used a backcasting approach to define a desired outcome for the next decade and worked backwards to identify the necessary decisions, partnerships, and actions required today.
The first lab focused on transitioning discoveries in materials science and biotechnology from research to large-scale application, facilitated by Peter Engelke from the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Strategy Initiative. This session emphasized the importance of education, research, financing, and policy ecosystems to convert breakthroughs into broader economic and social impacts.
The second lab delved into the physical and economic foundations of AI, exploring the infrastructure needed for reliable and sustainable AI development. Vilas Dhar and Jonathan David Moyer highlighted the investment and governance required for advancing AI capabilities.
The third lab addressed maintaining essential systems amidst climate and nature-related pressures, led by Dimple Patel of NatureMetrics and Anthony Vassallo from RAND. It examined scalable approaches to resource use and supply chains that balance short-term costs with long-term resilience.
Improving collective decision-making under uncertain conditions was the focus of the fourth lab, featuring insights from Maha Hosain Aziz of New York University and Karen E. Young of Columbia University. The session investigated how diverse perspectives and strategic foresight can guide responsible choices amid rapid change.
The final lab looked at leveraging productivity gains driven by AI for inclusive growth. Participants like Katy Knight, Jonathan David Moyer, and Florian Hoffmann discussed linking skill investment and inclusive labor markets with policies for sustainable economic opportunities.
Overall, the labs generated actionable insights for governments, businesses, and civil society, empowering young leaders to shape inclusive and sustainable solutions to common global challenges. The meetings gathered over 700 leaders and experts from 100 countries, forming part of the strategic collaboration between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum to anticipate and address global transformations.