Abu Dhabi to host UAE-France Business Forum on September 22 at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, focusing on AI prospects and investment opportunities

Abu Dhabi will host the second edition of the UAE-France Business Forum under the theme “AI Prospects” on September 22 at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

The forum is organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UAE, with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi serving as its Knowledge Partner, in cooperation with key stakeholders in the sector, including the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Team France Export – Business France, Bpifrance, the Regional Economic Department of the French Embassy, La French Tech Abu Dhabi-Dubai, and French Foreign Trade Advisors.

The forum seeks to further strengthen connections between the French and UAE artificial intelligence ecosystems, bringing together key players from across the sector.

Rising investment in infrastructure and industrial applications

UAE-France cooperation in artificial intelligence is entering a new phase of strategic acceleration, supported by growing investments in AI infrastructure and industrial applications.

The forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs and technology leaders from Europe and the Middle East to explore the growing role of artificial intelligence across business, industry and society.

It will also connect the different components of the AI value chain, from academic research and studies to investment, entrepreneurship and industrial applications. The event will provide French start-ups with opportunities to access the UAE market while strengthening commercial ties within the country’s rapidly expanding AI landscape.

Strengthening partnerships

Agnes Lopez Cruz, Director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UAE, said: “The ‘AI Prospects’ Business Forum achieved significant success during its inaugural edition last year. Building on this strong momentum, the forum has rapidly established itself as a key platform for advancing cooperation between France and the UAE.”

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Director of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, said: “The longstanding relations between the UAE and France continue to create promising and fruitful opportunities across education, research and innovation.”

The forum aims to strengthen UAE-France cooperation in AI infrastructure, innovation and the responsible development of technologies that are shaping the future of industries and societies.

The programme is centred on the concept: “If data is the new oil, artificial intelligence is the engine,” highlighting the growing role of AI in transforming data into actionable insights with economic value and tangible social impact.

The one-day event is expected to bring together more than 300 high-level officials and experts from the government, academic, industrial and investment sectors.