Abu Dhabi city plans to deliver 8,000 new residential units by the end of 2025, with another 12,800 scheduled for 2026, research from real estate advisory Cavendish Maxwell showed on Thursday.

Around 2,700 apartments, townhouses and villas were handed over in the first nine months of the year amid continued demand from end-users and investors.

A further 12,400 units are slated for 2027 and 21,400 for 2028, although actual handovers may trail initial forecasts.

“Based on recent handover trends, we could see fewer-than-planned properties being delivered in the next couple of years. This staggered approach, which is historically typical for Abu Dhabi, allows the market to absorb new supply gradually and prevents sudden increases in available stock,” said Andrew Laver, associate director at Cavendish Maxwell Abu Dhabi.

Q3 sees a rise in Abu Dhabi residential sales

Sales activity strengthened in the third quarter, with more than 6,400 residential transactions recorded across apartments, villas and townhouses, led by off-plan deals.

Apartment sales reached 5,100 units, supported by investor appetite and demand from young professionals and smaller households.

Villa and townhouse sales increased 8.3 per cent from the previous quarter and 0.3 per cent year on year as limited supply steered buyers towards apartments.

The total value of homes sold in the period hit Dhs20.5bn, including Dhs16.3bn from off-plan deals.

Apartment prices rose nearly 15 per cent year on year in Q3, with Yas Island and Al Reem Island recording the sharpest gains. Average villa prices climbed just under 12 per cent over the same period, led by Yas Island and Saadiyat Island.

Rental prices also moved higher, with apartment rents up an average of 14.2 per cent and as much as 25 per cent on Yas Island. Villa rents increased 5.1 per cent on average.

“Abu Dhabi City’s residential real estate market performed strongly in Q3, on the back of strong demand from investors. Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain resilient, with strong economic fundamentals, ongoing diversification, steady population growth and the increasing appeal of newer master-planned communities continuing to support demand.

“We also expect to see both sales and rental prices to rise further in the near term, although the pace of growth will vary depending on location as new supply enters the market,” Laver said.

Abu Dhabi-based Multiply Media Group (MMG), a subsidiary of 2PointZero Group, has acquired 100 per cent of UK digital out-of-home operator London Lites, giving the company full ownership of one of the capital’s most prominent DOOH portfolios and fast-tracking its expansion in the market, it said on Wednesday.

The deal positions MMG’s Backlite UK as a premium digital outdoor network in London, adding scale in a sector where programmatic buying and data-driven ad delivery are becoming central to growth.

London Lites currently operates more than 65 digital sites across central London, including The Cube at Flannels Oxford Street, and brings with it an established management team and expansion pipeline.

Multiply Media Group expects the consolidation to improve its cost structure

MMG said the acquisition would allow it to integrate programmatic monetisation, boost digital yield, and achieve operational efficiencies by combining London Lites with existing UK assets such as the 11 ultra-premium sites developed by Wildstone.

The group expects the consolidation to improve cost structure by removing the need for a standalone operational set-up while providing access to local sales capability and infrastructure.

“London Lites has built one of the most recognisable premium DOOH portfolios in the UK,” said Jawad Hassan, head of Media and Communications at 2PointZero Group. “Bringing it fully into our portfolio allows us to accelerate market expansion, unlock programmatic potential and strengthen our position in a market that is rapidly evolving.”

MMG Group CEO James Bicknell said the move strengthens Backlite UK’s ability to offer brands “greater value, scale and service” in one of the world’s most competitive media markets.

London Lites founder Sam Dayeh said joining the group gives the business a “strong and respected platform for future growth” and credited the team’s work in shaping the network.

The transaction deepens MMG’s footprint in the UK and supports its plan to build a global DOOH portfolio backed by technology and creative delivery.

Read: Abu Dhabi’s Multiply Group acquires majority stake in Italy’s ISEM Packaging

Emaar Properties is making headlines with its ambitious ‘Dubai Square’ project, a mall that will accommodate electric vehicles and introduce next-level retail and entertainment experiences.

Still under construction, Dubai Square will be located in Dubai Creek Harbour and is expected to open in three years. The mega-mall will span an area three times the size of Downtown Dubai and cost Dhs180bn, according to Mohamed Ali Alabbar, founder of Emaar, in a post on his official X account.

This landmark development underscores Dubai’s strategy to cement its position as a global hub for shopping and leisure. The detailed design of Dubai Square was completed in February 2024, marking a key milestone toward making it the second-largest shopping and entertainment destination in Dubai Creek Harbour.

Read more-Mall in the ‘Forest’: More on Dubai’s newest shopping destination

Innovative design meets advanced technology

Dubai Square is designed to integrate advanced technologies, contemporary architecture, and forward-thinking concepts in retail, dining, and entertainment. It will be linked directly to the Dubai Creek Tower, giving the mall a distinctive position in the heart of Dubai Creek Harbour. The project will leverage cutting-edge AI systems to analyse and predict visitor behavior as well as retailer needs, a move Alabbar describes as essential for future-proofing the shopping experience.

“Despite the fact that AI is a new science in design, Emaar is implementing and deploying the most advanced AI systems to analyse and predict the needs of retailers and visitors in the future,” he said.

Emaar’s extensive experience, managing over 1,500 retailers and catering to more than 100 million visitors annually, positions the company to deliver a mall that balances innovation with proven operational expertise. Alabbar noted that feedback from retailers remains an integral part of the development process, ensuring Dubai Square meets market demands while maintaining a world-class visitor experience.

Dubai Creek Harbour: A smart, integrated urban hub

Dubai Square is part of the ultra-modern Dubai Creek Harbour, a mixed-use development spanning 7.4 million square metres of residential space and 500,000 square meters of gardens and open areas. Its pedestrian-friendly streets will connect retail, entertainment, and leisure destinations seamlessly, creating an integrated urban environment.

The development includes a variety of residential offerings, apartments, duplex units, and penthouses, that reflect Dubai Creek’s contemporary architectural style. Dubai Creek Harbour also encompasses the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, a renowned biodiversity site in the UAE, adding an element of environmental stewardship to the project.

Beyond its technological and architectural innovations, Dubai Square will serve as a platform for employee skill development, particularly for young Emirati nationals, highlighting Emaar’s commitment to national workforce growth and sustainable economic development.

By combining futuristic AI systems, sustainable design, and luxury urban living, Dubai Square aims to redefine the shopping mall experience and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global retail and leisure destination.

Acronis has released its 2025 Women in Tech Report, revealing sharp differences in how men and women perceive opportunity, advancement and bias in the technology sector, with more than eight in ten women saying representation at the top could reshape culture.

The report, FOMO at Work: The Opportunity Gap Between Men and Women in Tech, surveyed more than 650 IT professionals globally and found women still feel a significantly narrower path to leadership compared with men, despite broader industry conversations around inclusion and workplace equality.

Only 60 per cent of women say men and women have equal access to career development, against 75 per cent of men.

Sixty-three per cent of women cited work-life balance as a major career barrier, compared with 49 per cent of men. Some 67 per cent of women believe they must work longer hours to advance in their careers, while 56 per cent of men shared that view.

The perception gap extends into leadership and entry-level cybersecurity roles.

Bias and stereotypes were named as the main barrier to women entering cybersecurity by 41 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men. For leadership paths, 41 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men identified bias as the key obstacle.

Leadership development tailored specifically to women is a priority for 70 per cent of female respondents, versus 56 per cent of male respondents. Fifty-two per cent of women reported being very concerned about missing career opportunities due to family responsibilities, compared with 42 per cent of men.

Acronis study focuses on how men and women experience working in the tech industry

“Our new survey findings shine a spotlight on just how differently men and women experience working in the tech industry,” said Alona Geckler, SVP Business Operations and chief of staff at Acronis. “Closing the gender gap requires more than good intentions. Organisations must recognise these disparities and design programs that expand leadership opportunities, confront bias head-on, and create environments where work-life balance doesn’t present any barriers that may potentially derail women’s careers.”

The report suggests that while progress has been made, workplace culture remains uneven. Women place a higher value on targeted leadership initiatives and advocacy programmes, while men are less likely to view systemic barriers as significant. Acronis says these differences identify where employers are falling short and where policy changes or organisational reform could move the dial.

“This report highlights the critical need for companies to listen more closely to women’s experiences in technology career paths,” said Melyssa Banda, SVP, Edge Storage and Services at Seagate Technology. “For companies across the tech sector, highlighting women role models, addressing bias directly, and fostering inclusive cultures can benefit the entire industry. The opportunity now is to turn these insights into action that can drive innovation and create a workplace where everyone can thrive.”

Women currently make up 29 per cent of the global technology workforce, a figure reflected in the sample size.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries and jobs at a rapid pace, and education systems in the Middle East are responding with urgency.

The UAE, for example, has witnessed a 344 per cent year-over-year jump in enrollments for Generative AI courses, according to Coursera’s 2025 Global Skills Report, and has introduced AI as a formal subject in all public schools from 2025. These developments underscore a critical imperative: universities must embed AI literacy across curricula so every student is equipped to use AI tools responsibly, verify the technology’s outputs, and recognise biases in AI-generated content.

In a 2025 Higher Education Policy Institute survey, 92 per cent of students reported using AI tools in their academic work, yet 83 per cent of faculty worry they cannot critically evaluate AI-generated output. This disconnect reveals a fundamental challenge: while students enthusiastically adopt AI, they often lack the frameworks for effective, ethical use. Section’s AI Proficiency Report found only 7 per cent of knowledge workers are proficient in AI tools, underscoring the urgent need for universities to embed structured AI literacy across disciplines.

The evolution from early digitisation to today’s AI revolution highlights how ethics and structured learning must evolve in parallel. A disciplined, ethics-first approach to AI education is essential – one that balances enthusiasm for innovation with “appropriate caution”, teaching students not just how to use AI, but how to question it.

Interdisciplinary integration of AI in education

A key strategy in building AI literacy is integrating AI across all disciplines, not just in computer science or engineering programs. Students in every field are starting to use AI in ways relevant to their domain. For example, architecture students now use GenAI to create novel building designs. Life Sciences students can apply machine learning techniques on genomic data. Business students experiment with AI for financial forecasting and risk analysis, while liberal arts scholars leverage AI to mine historical texts or create media content in new ways.

By tailoring AI applications to each field, educators make AI literacy hands-on and relevant for every student. This interdisciplinary approach reflects a broader trend: AI literacy is becoming as essential today as basic computer literacy was a generation ago.

Ethics and critical thinking: The core of AI literacy

AI literacy isn’t just about technical skills; it also demands ethics and critical thinking. Generative AI tools can produce content that sounds convincing but may be false or biased. Large language models sometimes “hallucinate”, fabricating answers and even references, and such polished output can mislead students. Thus, a core tenet of AI literacy is learning to verify sources and facts behind AI-generated content.

Educators weave these lessons into coursework. A common exercise is to have students do a task manually, then use an AI tool to do it and compare the results. This shows where the AI helps and where it fails, reinforcing that AI can assist but not replace human judgment. Instructors also explain how AI models work and how biases in training data can creep in. When Purdue University researchers demonstrated an AI system struggling to recognise faces of people with darker skin tones, participants became more aware and sceptical of AI’s biases.

Incorporating cases like these into coursework sensitises students to issues of fairness and bias in AI – from facial recognition and hiring algorithms to the selection of news articles we see on social media. By instilling habits of checking multiple sources and looking for evidence, educators ensure that students treat AI as a starting point, not the final authority. The outcome is a new kind of digital literacy: one where a graduate can harness AI tools confidently but will pause to question its output, which is a crucial reflex in the era of deepfakes.

Collaboration with industry and real-world alignment

To keep pace with advances, universities are partnering with tech companies and industry experts to ensure that classroom AI applications mirror real-world ones and exposes students to the ethical standards and challenges faced by industry, from data privacy issues to addressing bias in AI models deployed at scale.

Industry collaboration also helps align curricula with evolving skill needs. In the UAE, tech firms co-develop AI labs with universities to give students hands-on experience with current tools, addressing employers’ concerns that graduates aren’t ready for AI-driven workplaces.

Incorporating industry case studies lets students practice solving real problems and emphasises the responsibility that comes with deploying AI outside campus. Additionally, as the UAE positions itself as a global AI hub, nurturing talent that can innovate responsibly is seen as a competitive advantage.

Future-ready, responsible graduates

The ultimate goal of AI literacy is to produce graduates who are as comfortable working with AI as they are working with people. This is crucial in the Middle East, where governments have ambitious digital economy plans. PwC projects, AI will contribute around $320bn to the Middle East’s GDP by 2030. Such growth will demand a workforce adept in AI.

However, it’s not enough for tomorrow’s leaders to use AI widely; it must be used wisely. If they adopt AI without understanding its pitfalls, they risk amplifying biases or spreading misinformation, undermining the technology’s benefits. Many students already recognise this risk and are calling for more AI training for both students and faculty, and a voice in how AI is used on campus. And it is time for academia to step up to this challenge.

Middle Eastern universities have an opportunity to lead by example, to ride the AI wave without drowning in it. By implementing structured AI modules, critical thinking exercises, strong ethical guidelines, and industry partnerships, they can ensure graduates are both tech-savvy and ethically grounded. These graduates will enter the workforce ready to innovate with AI while upholding trust and accountability. Such balanced expertise will anchor a sustainable, inclusive digital future for the region.

The message is clear: equip students today with ethical AI skills, and they will drive the Middle East’s AI revolution responsibly tomorrow.

Dr Sudhindra Shamanna is the pro vice chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Dubai Campus.