Abu Dhabi, UAE – His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk met in the Emirati capital yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, met with Elon Musk, CEO of X, SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink, on Sunday to discuss the UAE’s growing role as a global tech hub.
A Meeting of Minds
The meeting was held at Sheikh Hamdan’s majlis in Nad Al-Sheba, focussed on global tech developments and it explored innovative solutions aligned with sustainable development goals. Discussions examined how emerging tech can help address challenges through tech-oriented solutions.
Both sides highlighted the UAE and Dubai’s rising profile as leading destinations for tech and innovation.
Strategic Alignment and Mutual Investment
The meeting came as UAE giants – noticeably Emirates – invest in an array of Musk’s conglomerates such as Starlink.
Emirati tech enthusiast Hassan Sajwani recently shared footage showcasing Starlink’s high-speed inflight connectivity onboard an Emirates aircraft. The airline began equipping its Boeing 777 and A380 fleets with Starlink in November 2025, with the goal of offering free, unlimited Wi-Fi to all passengers by mid-2027.
Emirates began equipping its Boeing 777 and A380 fleet in November 2025, aiming for free unlimited wifi for all by mid-2027. Airlines worldwide – AirFrance, Qatar, and United – are adopting Starlink for low-Earth orbit advantages over satellites but not to the extent of Emirates on-board.
AI, Future Technologies, and Space
During the meeting, Musk praised the UAE’s forward-looking vision and its achievements in technology, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), discussions also touched on advanced technologies and AI as key pillars of future economic growth.
Sheikh Hamdan reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to fostering innovation through progressive legislation, global partnerships, and sustained investment in human capital, positioning the country as a testing ground for next-generation technologies.
Looking Ahead
As cooperation between the UAE and global technology leaders deepens, future developments will reveal how these conversations translate into concrete initiatives across AI, space, connectivity, and digital infrastructure.
What is clear, however, is that technology remains firmly at the centre of the UAE’s long-term vision for growth and global competitiveness.
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