A high-level dialogue at the World Government Summit calls for harnessing artificial intelligence to maximize social impact

Today, global leaders gathered as part of the 5X AI Dialogue for a high-level session held on the opening day of the World Government Summit 2026, focused on transforming the principles of artificial intelligence into tangible, measurable and scalable impact.

The closed dialogue brought together an elite group of senior decision-makers from governments and international organizations, along with representatives of the private sector and philanthropy, to discuss a fundamental gap, which is that global investment in artificial intelligence has exceeded 1.5 trillion US dollars, while only less than one percent is directed towards social impact, while more than 85 percent of this investment is concentrated in high-income countries.

Opening the session, Badr Jaafar, UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, called for a radical review of the approach to work, saying: “The challenge we face today is not a lack of innovation, but a lack of alignment. If artificial intelligence is to become a tool for global convergence and not a cause of greater inequality, we need a new operating model.”

He presented the “Artificial Intelligence Impact Wheel” framework, which explains the role of public policies in determining the path and setting controls, the role of strategic philanthropy in absorbing early-stage risks and enabling experimentation, and the role of the business sector in enabling efficient scaling of solutions.

The dialogue also confirmed the approach adopted by the UAE in artificial intelligence governance. Since artificial intelligence was deemed a national priority in 2017, it has been integrated into a broader institutional framework that includes policies, skills development, and long-term capacity building, an approach that has become a subject of interest and study to governments around the world.

Badr Jaafar said: “What distinguishes the UAE is not only the volume of investment, but the way in which artificial intelligence has been included within an institutional framework. The high level of trust has contributed to raising the pace of application, and this is a very important relationship, because trust is not a secondary issue in artificial intelligence, but rather it is the most severe obstacle to its adoption.”

Participants discussed how multi-sector collaboration can accelerate the adoption of AI across five priority areas: health, learning, community, quality of life, and sustainability. Discussions also confirmed that, while tangible gains have been made in each area, regulatory frameworks, workforce readiness, and common standards remain critical elements for equitably scaling impact.

At the end of his speech, Badr Jaafar emphasized the UAE’s role as a platform that brings together parties and drives implementation, saying: “Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than institutions’ ability to adapt. Without conscious leadership, it will deepen inequality. With coordinated action, it can expand inclusion at an unprecedented pace. The UAE is the place where the world achieves.”

The “World Government Summit 2026” continues over three days in Dubai, with the participation of heads of state, ministers and global experts, to discuss and shape the future of governance in the fields of artificial intelligence, climate action, economic resilience, and human development.