The Largest Year-End AI Conference of 2025: /function1 is Coming Back in Dubai
The year-end edition of /function1 arrives in Dubai on November 18–19, and it continues the momentum created by its debut earlier this year. The first edition earned regional and international recognition, and it hosted more than 40 speakers as well as the UAE’s first large-scale AI hackathon. This fall, the event expands its scope, and it aims to solidify its role as a central gathering point for AI founders, researchers, and creators. Organizers promise deeper discussions, and they intend to shape conversations around the future of intelligent systems.
Major Programs and Community Highlights
The conference offers two days across three stages, and it features a selective agenda focused on top AI trends. Sessions will explore how AI reshapes finance, cybersecurity, smart cities, biometrics, healthcare, and sustainability. They will also raise complex questions about whether sci-fi visions may be closer than expected. Attendance is expected to exceed 10,000 people, showing the wide range of developers, investors, scientists, students, and regulators who form today’s AI-native community.
The Founders Program unites over 5,000 AI startups and gives emerging founders greater visibility, access, and collaboration opportunities. More than 4,000 founders have already confirmed attendance, including companies such as AVM, Ignite AI, and Antal. Meanwhile, the AI Genesis hackathon returns with LabLab and NativelyAI, bringing together more than 4,000 developers for a week-long challenge that ends with an on-stage finale. Additionally, the AI Futures Lab offers guidance from industry and academic mentors, and it encourages UAE university students to pitch solutions to global challenges in front of thousands of attendees.
Speakers, Sponsors, and Partners
This edition features more than 150 speakers from leading technology groups, universities, government entities, and major organizations. Early announced participants include Dr. Vivek Lall, Ron Levin, Ahmed Mostafa, Omnia Hame, Priyanka Vijayan, Bimal Mehta, Jeanie Fang, Yuki Shirato, Ankit Lathigara, Tiago Henriques, Lydia Andresen, Faisal Iqbal, Casper Guldager, and Hamad Odhabi.
Sponsors include creators of multimodal AI models, enterprise automation platforms, and high-performance machine learning APIs. Key partners range from global investment firms to top regional universities and major industry players. Together, they help create a space where ambitious ideas can be tested, showcased, and transformed into practical innovation.
