ABU DHABI, 2nd July, 2026 (WAM) — The Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training (CERT) and Open Innovation AI have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate artificial intelligence capability development, strengthen workforce readiness, and empower organisations to adopt AI responsibly and effectively, thereby supporting the digital transformation of public and private sector organisations across the UAE.
The partnership comes at a time when the UAE is accelerating the development of its artificial intelligence ecosystem, strengthening national capabilities, and advancing digital transformation to reinforce its position as a global hub for innovation and the digital economy.
Against this backdrop, the collaboration brings together the complementary strengths of both organisations to help institutions enhance their AI readiness and equip their workforces with the skills needed to succeed in an AI-driven economy.
By combining CERT’s expertise in capability development, specialised learning solutions, and internationally accredited certifications tailored to the needs of diverse industries with Open Innovation AI’s leadership in enterprise AI solutions, sovereign AI platforms, and generative AI technologies, the partnership will develop and deliver AI training programs, capability-building and workforce development initiatives, applied innovation projects, and AI governance frameworks that enable organisations to deploy AI responsibly and effectively while accelerating their digital transformation journeys.
Khalid Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of CERT, said, “Artificial intelligence is no longer an option or a future ambition; it has become a key driver of competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth. At CERT, we believe that meaningful AI transformation begins by investing in people, because developing talent is the foundation of sustainable digital transformation. Through our partnership with Open Innovation AI, we are combining more than three decades of expertise in capability development with world-class AI expertise to help organisations accelerate AI readiness, strengthen their capacity for innovation, and develop the talent needed to lead the economy of the future.”
Dr. Abed Benaichouche, CEO and Co–Founder, Open Innovation AI, said, “We are proud to partner with CERT to help build the UAE’s national capability for the age of AI agents. We are entering a new era where every organisation will operate alongside AI agents, and success will depend on the ability to build, govern, and deploy them securely at scale. By combining CERT’s leadership in education and applied research with Open Innovation AI’s sovereign AI platforms and expertise, we aim to equip the next generation of leaders and engineers to develop trusted AI agents while keeping the technology, data, and talent under national control.”
The partnership reaffirms both organisations’ shared belief that the future of artificial intelligence will be shaped not only by technology, but also by people with the skills to harness it and organisations prepared to lead the transformation into a secure, scalable, and sovereign environment.
Together, CERT and Open Innovation AI are committed to supporting the UAE’s vision of strengthening its global leadership in artificial intelligence while advancing a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy.
Source: Emirates News Agency