Launching in Fall 2025, this program is the next step in the university’s mission to create a pipeline and ecosystem of AI talent and practitioners, supporting the UAE’s AI strategy and developing a talent pool for the global workforce.
What inspired the launch of this undergraduate program in AI?
We were always going to have an undergraduate; it was just a question of time. The reason for doing graduate first and then undergraduate is MBZUAI prioritizes quality as a first principle in everything that we do. It’s difficult to develop a truly world-class standalone undergraduate program. It’s much easier to build the graduate school first and then build down from there, building on the strengths that you have. Particularly for artificial intelligence (AI) nowadays, you must have people who are hands-on and involved in relevant AI work with industry involvement at some level.
Our team was able to recruit the top faculty in core AI fields from around the globe for our graduate offerings. Our President and Provost are both working researchers and leaders in their respective fields.
The undergraduate program is the next step in the university’s mission to create a pipeline and ecosystem of AI talent and practitioners to support the UAE’s AI strategy and help position Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a global hub for AI. It will also strengthen our ability to conduct research and take on top talent for our M.Sc. and Ph.D. courses.
In what ways does MBZUAI’s curriculum balance foundational AI theories with real-world applications to ensure graduates are industry-ready?
We sat down with world experts to rethink what education should be. Do students really need to learn compilers or discrete mathematics in depth? Or do they need to know how to build AI that matters? This program is unlike traditional AI curricula. This Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence blends core AI expertise with leadership, entrepreneurship, industry experience, and real-world impact.
The program was developed from the ground-up by our world-leading experts in the fields of AI. It’s not retrofitted to a computer science undergraduate major or standalone degree, as almost every AI program is in the world. It is designed to equip students with a strong foundation in AI fields such as computer vision (CV), machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and robotics, while providing cross-disciplinary training in business, finance, industrial design, market analysis, management, and communication.
Industry needs have been assessed carefully by us. The consistent feedback we receive is graduates from even the top programs around the world are not job ready. They spend the first year or two shaping themselves into something relevant, and then they start making an impact.
This program was created in collaboration with individuals who hold strong industry credentials and relevance, which is the case for many faculty members in the AI space. I have an AI startup myself. Anything that should be taught by industry, will be taught by industry because they are at the coalface, and we are making sure that we source the right people who are able to connect with students. They must be able to communicate well to a younger demographic who is learning the ropes in terms of what AI is all about. There is a strong focus on experiential learning and industry placements.
What key skills and competencies will students gain from this program to prepare them for emerging AI roles?
We’ll have a very balanced curriculum in the sense of you will have, business lectures, math lectures, computer science lectures, and AI lectures. What we really want is that people become well-rounded. They need to learn things about philosophy, ethics, how to communicate in a sense of how to present, but how to reach out to millions of people.
These soft skills are important; being able to translate non-technical business problems into an actual AI solution, and vice versa, being able to communicate back to non-technical clients what you have done and its relevance to them, especially to investors. Our undergraduate program will deal with messy data and real problems, with everything contextualized with respect to AI.
The Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence program is available in two distinct streams. First, there is an engineering stream that focuses on the practicum side of things: machine learning, industry-relevant computer science, and the real-life skills to succeed in the workforce.
This stream is designed for future AI engineers, researchers, problem-solvers and innovators. Second, there is a business stream, which centers around AI in business, strategy, and decision-making. This stream equips future leaders with AI-driven insights to transform industries or start their own business. What marketing looks like? What accounting entail? And what the startup journey looks like? With entrepreneurs who’ve been through that experience successfully and can talk in a hands-on way, providing all the elements that will lead to future success.
How does this program align with the UAE’s broader vision for AI leadership, and how does it compare to similar global initiatives?
We are reshaping what it means to be educated in AI — with the aim of producing not just engineers, but also entrepreneurs, designers, influencers, executives, and visionary innovators prepared to drive AI innovation in every sector, at all stages of development. The goal is to develop visionary thinkers and multifaceted problem-solvers and contribute to the AI ecosystem in the UAE.
This program is unique as is MBZUAI; the only research-focused University dedicated to AI in the world. A key priority is to continue attracting top AI talent from around the world— to further strengthen our position as a global leader in AI education and research—and this now extends to recruiting high school graduates for the new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence.
Through our Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC), we are also deepening our support for AI-driven entrepreneurship. As the region’s first AI-native incubator and just over a year since its establishment, the IEC is playing a vital role in advancing deep tech innovation, providing startups with access to top talent, expert mentorship, and investment opportunities.
Talented AI practitioners will be key to achieving the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims to transform the UAE into a global hub and world leader in AI. In fact, nearly 80% of our alumni remain in the UAE’s AI ecosystem within their first year, actively contributing to the country’s AI innovation and technological advancement. As we grow, MBZUAI remains committed to advancing AI excellence, fostering innovation, and positioning the UAE as a global hub for AI leadership.
Are there plans for industry partnerships or internships to give students hands-on experience with real-world AI applications?
Our Bachelor of Science in AI, launching in Fall 2025, follows a 3+1 model, where students spend their final year working with leading AI companies, research labs, and startups—giving them a significant competitive advantage upon graduation.
Accepted students will undertake a compulsory internship between their second and third years, and the fourth year is a full year industry co-op embedded in industry or research. They will be mentored by staff and people embedded within these businesses. This approach ensures that MBZUAI graduates are workforce-ready from day one.
We recognize the importance of public-private partnerships and academic collaboration for talent development and achieving innovative real-world solutions.
How will the program address ethical considerations and responsible AI development?
MBZUAI ensures that AI safety and ethics are fundamental considerations in all research and development efforts, integrating them from the outset rather than as an afterthought. Researchers are actively working on reducing bias in large language models (LLMs), detecting deepfakes, and identifying misleading content in the media to promote more responsible AI applications.
One of the key initiatives in this area is the University startup LibrAI, which is dedicated to ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI systems, tackling challenges such as bias detection, misinformation identification, and ethical AI governance. By setting new benchmarks in AI safety and ethics, LibrAI aims to build trustworthy AI solutions that align with global standards and societal needs.
As AI becomes more embedded in education and everyday life, MBZUAI continues to contribute to ethical AI research, equipping students, researchers, and industry leaders with the tools to develop AI technologies that are both innovative and aligned with global standards for responsible use.
What specific AI technologies or trends will the curriculum focus on, and how will it keep pace with rapid advancements in the field?
We constantly evaluate our courses and gather feedback from students and faculty, and modify the courses based on these learnings. These types of students are living and breathing AI, the 17, 18, or 19 year olds coming into this program. One of the advantages of being a relatively new university backed by the UAE Government is having the agility to move quickly and make improvements in this way.
The launch of the Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence represents a forward-thinking approach to AI education. With an emphasis on entrepreneurial thinking and hands-on experience, MBZUAI aims to develop AI leaders and innovators who can drive the UAE’s AI vision forward. It’s time to harness such futuristic programs that blend academic rigor with industry collaboration, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This initiative marks a significant step toward shaping the future of AI and empowering the next generation of tech leaders.
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