The Innovation Hub of the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF Innovation Hub), in collaboration with the UAE Banks Federation (UBF) and KPMG Middle East, concluded a 2-day AI Innovation Workshop, a unique forum designed to accelerate the responsible adoption of Agentic AI across the UAE’s banking ecosystem.
The initiative was led by the EIF Innovation Hub providing a platform for financial innovation, organised by the UAE Banks Federation as the industry convener, in collaboration with KPMG Middle East as the strategic advisor and facilitator.
Agentic AI, an emerging class of intelligent systems capable of autonomous reasoning and adaptive learning, is set to transform how banks manage risk, prevent fraud, and deliver more personalised customer experiences.
Held over two days at the EIF Innovation Hub in Dubai, the initiative brought together senior leaders and innovation specialists from major UAE banks, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and HSBC. The sessions provided a platform for collaboration, ideation, and prototyping of tangible AI-driven solutions that address the sector’s evolving priorities, ranging from risk management and compliance to customer experience and operational efficiency.
Structured in a hackathon-style format, the forum encouraged real-time exploration of Agentic AI applications through design thinking and iteration. Teams identified challenges, created prototypes, and presented to a panel of jury from the EIF Innovation Hub, UBF, selected banks, and KPMG Middle East, focusing on problem clarity, technical feasibility, AI guardrails, and business impact. Drawing on KPMG Middle East’s Innovation Funnel Framework, participants moved through challenge definition, ideation, experimentation, and scaling, showcasing AI concepts to evaluate their practicality and potential business value.
Marwan Abunwas Almheiri, General Manager of the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF), said, “The EIF Innovation Hub was established to drive collaboration between regulators, banks, and ecosystem partners in shaping the future of financial services. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to advancing responsible innovation and ensuring that emerging technologies such as Agentic AI are applied safely and effectively across the sector.”
Jamal Saleh, Director-General, UAE Banks Federation, said, “Through initiatives such as this, we continue to strengthen the UAE’s position as a regional leader in financial innovation and digital transformation. The collaboration between UBF, the EIF Innovation Hub, and KPMG underscores the sector’s shared commitment to advancing the safe and effective use of AI. Our focus is to ensure that innovation serves people, builds trust, and drives long-term competitiveness across the financial system.”
Jamal Habahbeh, Head of Financial Services at KPMG Middle East, added, “Agentic AI is redefining how institutions approach automation and decision making. Backed by the UAE government’s bold national investment in artificial intelligence, EIF Innovation Hub is taking the lead in driving AI adoption across the financial sector moving from theory to responsible, real-world implementation. By embedding design-led experimentation within strong governance frameworks, the UAE’s banking ecosystem is setting a global benchmark for innovation and trust. We are proud to support this journey, helping translate the nation’s digital ambitions into measurable, lasting impact.”
The initiative reinforces the UAE’s commitment to advancing its National AI Strategy 2031 through collaboration between regulators, banks, and global advisors. Insights and prototypes from the workshop will go into informing future innovation sprints under the EIF Innovation Hub, further advancing AI-driven transformation and responsible adoption across the UAE’s banking sector.
