Sharjah Investment Forum to explore AI and sustainability in global investment

Dubai: The Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2025) will host its 8th edition on October 22-23 at the Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, addressing global transformation by focusing on sustainable growth, AI, and smart manufacturing. This year's forum will take place for the first time with the 29th World Investment Conference (WIC), marking WIC’s debut in Sharjah.

Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and the UAE Ministry of Investment, the two-day event will bring together international leaders and decision-makers. The forum's theme is 'Leading global transformation: Investing in a Resilient and Sustainable Future.\

Key discussions and agenda highlights

The forum will open with a high-level session, 'Global leaders’ insights: Investing in an age of global transition,' where leaders will examine the impact of geopolitical shifts and digital transformation on investment. This will be followed by a ministerial roundtable to discuss redefining investment promotion policies to align with sustainability and technological changes.

• Green investment: A session titled "Green is the new gold: Competitive advantage through sustainable investment" will focus on how applying ESG (environmental, social, and governance) standards attracts high-impact investments. This is particularly relevant as ESG-managed assets are projected to exceed $40 trillion globally by 2030.

• Smart manufacturing & AI: A session will delve into the shift toward smart manufacturing, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and advanced analytics, to build more resilient supply chains. The smart manufacturing market is currently valued at $394.35 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $998.99 billion by 2032. Another highlight, "The impact of AI and sustainability on investment decisions," will explore how predictive technologies can help identify emerging markets and mitigate risks.

• Food security & human capital: The forum will also address the human and environmental aspects of investment, including a session on "Seeds of change: Investing in agri-business for food security." The agenda will also cover a wide range of topics, including tourism, free economic zones, human capital, SMEs, and digital infrastructure.

According to Mohamed Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah, the forum aims to lead a proactive dialogue on the business community's responsibility toward environmental, social, and technological shifts. He added, "We stand at a defining moment that calls for rethinking the standards of investment attraction through the lens of both economic and human impact."

The forum's unified agenda with the World Investment Conference will also address smart manufacturing, human capital, artificial intelligence, and value chains.