UAE AI Office and Emirates NBD Run UAE Codes Hackathon for 100 Emirati Bankers

Working in mixed teams, participants looked for ways to use AI and coding tools on practical problems in banking and then built solutions that could be put into use. The programme also included interactive sessions and meetings with technology leaders, experts and graduates of the government's AI programme. According to WAM, the aim was to give national talent the digital skills to apply AI and programming in the banking sector.

This year Emirates NBD widened its part in UAE Codes. Earlier editions did not include a hackathon, and this year the bank ran a two-day one. Teams presented their projects to a specialist judging panel at the close. The winner was "Project Ready", an AI platform for personalised learning and career development. "Career Lab", an AI platform for practising real workplace situations, came second. "Mashura", an AI tool that helps employees handle difficult conversations at work, came third.

Dr Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud, a director at the AI Office, said investing in national capabilities in programming, AI and advanced technologies is a strategic priority for the country. Iman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer at Emirates NBD, said AI is reshaping banking. She said the bank aims to help Emirati staff move from using new technologies to helping build and apply them.

The organisers linked the event to the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. UAE Codes Day falls on October 29 each year, on the instruction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The date marks the launch of the region's first e-government in 2001 and the announcement of Dubai Internet City in 1999. UNESCO adopted October 29 as a world day for coding in November 2023, following a proposal from the UAE.

The hackathon is part of a wider effort by UAE lenders and government bodies to build AI skills among Emirati staff as banks put the technology into their operations.