8:44 am - February 17, 2026
The government of the United Arab Emirates has announced a significant investment of $120 million in FinOracleAI, a company focused on applied artificial intelligence, to support the development and expansion of UrbanForge—an AI-driven platform designed to revolutionize urban planning. This six-year partnership aims to leverage UrbanForge’s capabilities to design and optimise urban environments by integrating diverse data sources, including real-time inputs from drones, satellites, and Building Information Models (BIM). The platform can simulate various urban dynamics such as traffic flows, resident behaviour, microclimate variations, and infrastructure load, thereby fostering the creation of sustainable, dynamic urban ecosystems rather than mere construction projects.
Marcel Murtazin, co-founder of FinOracleAI, emphasised that this investment is a forward-looking move aligned with the UAE’s broader vision, stating, “We are creating tools that will replace outdated approaches to urban planning. UrbanForge is AI that doesn’t just draw pretty pictures; it models how a city will live in 10 to 50 years.” The funds will be utilised to intensify deployment in key UAE regions, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and rapidly growing suburban areas, alongside boosting FinOracleAI’s regional R&D capabilities.
This strategic investment aligns with the UAE’s wider technology and innovation agenda, which includes a $500 million program to accelerate AI research, development, and deployment domestically and internationally. Part of this broader initiative involves the Falcon Foundation, a $300 million nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of open-source generative AI models, highlighting the country’s commitment not only to national technological leadership but also to global collaboration and knowledge dissemination.
The UAE’s ambitions are further reflected in its sweeping economic transformation from an oil-dependent economy towards a diversified digital hub. Dubai’s D33 Agenda aims to double its economy by 2033, focusing heavily on sectors such as technology, finance, logistics, tourism, and advanced manufacturing, while Abu Dhabi is investing heavily in foundational technology research and large-scale infrastructure projects to position itself at the forefront of AI and digital innovation worldwide.
In addition to technology, the UAE is advancing industrial growth through a comprehensive manufacturing strategy, allocating around $11 billion over five years to drive industrial GDP expansion and reduce reliance on oil revenues. This initiative is aimed at making the UAE a regional leader in high-tech manufacturing, a vital complement to its digital transformation goals.
Dubai’s commitment to building a knowledge economy is also evident in its allocation of $204 million over three years for the next phase of its research, development, and innovation programme. This initiative targets the creation of significant economic value and job opportunities, while strengthening partnerships with global academic and research institutions to foster innovation ecosystems.
The UAE has additionally pioneered AI integration within government operations, launching the world’s first AI-enabled legislative system to enhance law-making efficiency and precision. This government-wide AI adoption underpins the nation’s push for balanced development, leveraging technology to guide sustainable national growth.
Amid these national efforts, global technology giants are increasingly engaging with the UAE’s burgeoning AI sector. For example, Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in Emirati AI firm G42, which includes a significant stake and collaboration on cloud infrastructure, exemplifies the country’s growing stature as a hub for cutting-edge AI development, including innovations like Arabic language models.
Taken together, the UAE’s $120 million investment in FinOracleAI and UrbanForge represents a critical component of a broader, multi-faceted strategy to become a global leader in AI-driven urbanism, innovation, and economic diversification. Through such commitments, the country is not only shaping the future of its own cities but is also establishing itself as a pivotal player in the global technological landscape.
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- https://biz.cnews.ru/news/line/2025-06-26_pravitelstvo_oae_investiruet – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.arabnews.com/node/2459401/business-economy – The UAE has unveiled a $500 million program to accelerate research and development into artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The investment comprises a $200 million initiative aimed at providing access to cutting-edge technology for emerging and developing countries and the creation of the Falcon Foundation, a $300 million nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the development of open source generative AI models. Faisal Al-Bannai, secretary general of the ATRC, said: “Our commitment is to empower every nation with the means to thrive in this technology-driven world. The ATRC stands ready to partner with countries worldwide, leveraging our expertise in technology to address their challenges and drive collective progress in the AI-driven era.”
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/05/27/from-oil-to-technology-the-uaes-rise-to-web3-and-ai-leadership/ – The UAE is undergoing a remarkable transformation from a traditional oil giant to a leader in the global digital economy, focusing on AI and blockchain technologies. Dubai serves as a strategic hub for these innovations, hosting numerous AI and blockchain companies. The D33 Agenda, Dubai’s ambitious 10-year economic plan, aims to double the city’s economy by 2033, emphasizing sectors like technology, financial services, logistics, tourism, and advanced manufacturing. Abu Dhabi’s strategy involves significant government investment in foundational research, advanced technology development, and large-scale infrastructure projects to establish itself as a global leader in AI and digital assets.
- https://esrfoundation.ae/uae-unveils-11-billion-push-for-advanced-manufacturing-and-economic-diversification/ – The UAE has announced a comprehensive advanced manufacturing strategy, committing over AED 40 billion (approximately $11 billion) over the next five years to drive industrial growth and reduce dependency on oil revenues. This initiative is part of Operation 300bn, a ten-year roadmap introduced in 2021 under the UAE industrial strategy, aiming to boost the sector’s GDP contribution to AED 300 billion by 2031. The plan underscores the nation’s ambition to become a regional hub for high-tech industry and innovation, with industrial exports reaching AED 197 billion in 2023, nearly 70% higher than in 2021.
- https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2024/11/28/dubai-approves-204m-for-next-phase-of-rd-programme-to-boost-innovation-economy/ – The Dubai government has launched the next phase of its research, development, and innovation programme, allocating AED 750 million ($204.2 million) over three years to position the emirate as a global centre for knowledge and innovation. By 2033, the initiative aims to add AED 20 billion annually to Dubai’s economy, create 120,000 jobs, and support 600 start-ups. The programme includes strengthening partnerships with global universities and research centres, increasing private-sector R&D spending to 50% of the total investment, and establishing the Institute for Future Research to foster collaboration with international academic and research institutions.
- https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2025/04/14/uae-launches-worlds-first-ai-enabled-ecosystem-in-government – The UAE has launched the world’s first AI-enabled legislative system, aiming to transform the law-making process by making it faster and more precise. This initiative is part of the country’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into government operations, ensuring that the legislative framework aligns with global best practices while supporting the nation’s rapid development. The restructuring of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development is also part of this effort, focusing on developing impactful projects that ensure balanced growth across all parts of the country.
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/16/microsoft-to-invest-1point5-billion-in-emirati-ai-firm-g42-takes-minority-stake.html – Microsoft will invest $1.5 billion into G42, an artificial intelligence firm based in the United Arab Emirates, as the U.S. giant looks to strengthen its position in the technology. Microsoft President Brad Smith will join the board of directors of G42. The investment expands an existing partnership between the two firms, with Microsoft now taking a minority stake. G42 will run its AI applications and services on the Microsoft Azure cloud service, as well as deploy Microsoft’s cloud offerings. G42 has developed an Arabic large language model called Jais, which will be offered via Azure.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 8
Notes: The narrative appears to be original, with no prior reports found on this specific investment. The earliest known publication date is June 26, 2025. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The content does not appear to be republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks.
Quotes check
Score: 9
Notes: The direct quote from Marcel Murtazin, co-founder of FinOracleAI, appears to be original, with no identical matches found in earlier material. The wording matches the original source, indicating authenticity.
Source reliability
Score: 7
Notes: The narrative originates from CNews, a Russian news outlet. While it is a known source, its credibility may vary. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high reliability score. However, the source’s reliability is not as high as that of more established international media outlets.
Plausability check
Score: 8
Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with the UAE’s known initiatives in AI and urban development. The investment amount and the focus on UrbanForge are consistent with the UAE’s strategic goals. The tone and language used are appropriate for the subject matter, and there are no signs of sensationalism or off-topic details.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative presents original and plausible information about the UAE’s investment in FinOracleAI’s UrbanForge platform. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. The quotes are original, and the source, while not as established as some others, is known and the content appears to be original. No significant issues were identified in the plausibility check.
