The Abu Dhabi Youth Council has wrapped up the pilot phase of its Tamkeen 5.0 program, an ambitious initiative to develop Emirati talent in Agentic AI. The six-month program culminated in the Agentic AI for the UAE Hackathon, organized with defense tech giant EDGE Group, showcasing practical AI solutions and creating direct employment pipelines for participants.
Quick Facts
- Over 700 Emirati youth engaged
- 17 practical AI solutions developed
- Winners attracted interest from du and G42
- Job opportunities created with EDGE Group
From Pilot to Practice
Launched during GITEX 2025, Tamkeen 5.0 utilized an intelligent digital ecosystem to assess the AI knowledge of more than 700 young Emiratis. Based on the assessment, the platform guided participants to tailored learning pathways from a library of over 35 specialized programs. These courses were developed in partnership with 16 government, private, and academic organizations.
The program’s final stage was a hackathon that brought together 130 participants to apply their new skills to real-world national challenges. The event tested the program’s effectiveness in turning training into tangible, innovative AI applications.
Hackathon Winners Attract Major Corporate Interest
The hackathon produced 17 functional AI solutions and, more importantly, caught the attention of major public and private sector entities. The winning projects across the program’s four levels are now being explored for real-world adoption.
At the Exploration Level, the Ministry of Interior is considering a proposal that uses intelligent agents to detect early signs of extremist behavior in youth.
Telecommunications company du has requested a follow-up meeting with the “Rahhal” team, the winner at the Professional Level, to discuss collaboration and further development of their personalized digital experience solution.
Inception, a G42 company, is evaluating the technical feasibility of the Advanced Level winning project—an AI agent designed to automate refund requests and detect fraudulent claims.
The “University of the Future” project, which won at the Strategic Excellence Level, has drawn interest from the Government Accelerators team for its potential to inform future policy development.
Creating Career Pathways
A key outcome of Tamkeen 5.0 was the creation of direct employment and development opportunities for participants. In collaboration with EDGE Group and Mawaheb Talent Hub, several participants were connected with specialized career and training roles in AI and advanced technologies. Mawaheb played a central role in bridging the gap between skills training and professional employment, helping to build a sustainable talent pipeline for the UAE’s tech sector.
According to program results, 86% of participants rated the initiative as ‘excellent’, and 80% reported they could apply their learnings in practical settings.
About Tamkeen 5.0
Tamkeen 5.0 is an initiative by the Abu Dhabi Youth Council designed to align with the UAE’s strategic direction in Agentic AI. The program uses an intelligent digital platform to assess the skills of Emirati youth and connect them with personalized training and practical application opportunities. It aims to build a future-ready workforce capable of contributing to the UAE’s AI ambitions through partnerships with government, industry, and academia.
Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office
