The Emirates Group has concluded the fourth edition of ForsaTEK, its annual innovation showcase, which featured more than 90 sessions and experiences and over 60 technology projects and solutions, the company said in a press release on Monday.

Held on September 21 and 22, the event brought together leaders and experts from the technology, aviation and business sectors. It focused on agentic AI, robotics and human-AI collaboration, and highlighted solutions developed by Emirates Group teams and partners to improve operational efficiency and the customer experience.

"Over the last four years, ForsaTEK has become a platform for innovation and a testing ground for bold and ambitious ideas that put emerging technologies to work," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. "Some of these concepts have gone on to be implemented into practical solutions delivering real value for our business and operations."

UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar Sultan Al Olama, who took part in the opening fireside chat, said the UAE's ability to anticipate technological shifts strengthens its global competitiveness, according to the release. He said the value of AI lies in the benefits it delivers to people, and that progress requires organisations to test new ideas and make bold but well-considered decisions.

Other speakers included Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim, Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and Emmanuel Marill, OpenAI's Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa. A live panel paired human experts with a voice-enabled AI agent named Maryam 3.0. Masterclasses were led by ETA, LinkedIn, Hyundai Motor Group and Zapata Quantum Computing.

At the event, the group launched the Academic Research Collective (ARC), a platform linking it with research-intensive universities. Through ARC, the group and its academic partners plan to turn early-stage business challenges into applied research, evidence-based studies and minimum viable products.

The group also outlined the next phase of its collaboration with OpenAI, announced at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025. Emirates is giving employees secure access to advanced AI models and conversational tools to help them handle complex tasks and produce finished deliverables.

Projects on show ranged from early concepts to solutions already in use:

ARRIVE, an in-house framework from Emirates Group IT, helps teams use agentic software engineering at scale while keeping governance and human accountability. By the end of August 2026, the AI Gateway had onboarded more than 2,000 IT team members.

Emirates Service Delivery presented digital tools for cabin crew, including virtual reality training for cabin familiarisation and for safety and emergency procedures, and the One Device ecosystem that supports crew through their working day.

dnata Technical Services showed its Smart Hub, an automated inventory system giving round-the-clock access to critical maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) materials. The company said it removes an estimated 3,600 contaminated aerosol cans from the waste stream each year by replacing disposable aerosols with reusable bulk containers.

Intelak, a travel and tourism-focused incubator run jointly by the Emirates Group and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, presented seven start-ups, which will continue working on proofs of concept in line with the D33 Economic Agenda.

Source: PR