Kasun Illankoon, Editor-in-Chief at Tech Revolt, caught up with Ray Dargham, Co-founder and CEO of STEP, to discuss the upcoming STEP Dubai 2026 edition and the region’s rapidly evolving AI landscape. This year, STEP is unveiling a fully AI-dedicated programme under the theme “Intelligence Everywhere: The AI Economy”, highlighting how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, finance, technology, and the creative industries.

In their conversation, Dargham explains why 2026 marks the right moment for STEP to go all-in on AI, how the UAE’s long-term strategy has created a fertile ecosystem for AI-driven entrepreneurship, and what founders, investors, and creatives can expect from the event. From ethical innovation to practical industry impact, the discussion captures a region moving beyond preparation into execution and global influence in AI.

Why was 2026 the right moment for STEP to go all-in on an AI-first programme?

2026 is the payoff moment but AI did not arrive overnight in this region. The UAE made a clear, early commitment to artificial intelligence in the last decade, punctuated with the National AI Strategy published in 2017. Since then, there has been sustained investment in infrastructure, regulation, talent and education. What we are experiencing now is convergence; mature technology, real-world adoption and an ecosystem ready to scale. Step Dubai is going all-in now because the region is no longer preparing for AI - it is creating it, deploying it and scaling it.

How does “Intelligence Everywhere” reflect the AI economy you are seeing emerge in the region?

“Intelligence Everywhere” captures how AI has moved from policy papers into everyday execution across the region. In the UAE especially, AI is embedded across government services, mobility, finance, commerce and media, which is the result of decades of coordinated planning between the public and private sectors – with a milestone moment being that the UAE was the first country to deploy a Minister of AI. Intelligence is no longer centralised in labs or big tech firms; it is distributed across the economy, powering how governments lead, cities operate and how businesses grow.

In practical terms, how is AI reshaping entrepreneurship beyond the hype?

Dubai offers founders something rare; the ability to build AI-driven companies in a market where the government itself is an advanced user. That means faster pilots, clearer regulation and real customers early on. AI is giving entrepreneurs leverage; smaller teams, faster iteration and global reach, but the real advantage here is ecosystem readiness. Founders can move from idea to impact far more quickly than in less coordinated markets – I think that’s probably this country’s greatest AI edge.

Which industries will feel AI’s economic impact first - and most deeply?

Fintech, health tech, logistics, smart cities and media are already seeing deep transformation, where digital infrastructure and regulatory clarity are strong. Government services are also a major driver - not just as adopters, but as enablers of AI-powered ecosystems. When public services lead on adoption, innovation across the private sector accelerates.

How closely is Step Dubai aligning its AI agenda with the UAE’s national priorities?

Step Dubai’s AI agenda is intentionally aligned with the UAE’s long-term vision. From the 2017 AI Strategy to more recent initiatives and goals around digital government, smart infrastructure and talent development - the direction has been consistent. Our role is to activate that vision at the ecosystem level; connecting founders, investors, corporates and policy-makers so national strategy translates into scalable companies and global outcomes. I personally am looking forward to seeing global adoption of UAE-created products on a mass scale.

What role do start-ups play in shaping the region’s AI future compared with big tech?

Big tech provides platforms, but start-ups provide momentum. In Dubai and across the region, start-ups are often the fastest to commercialise AI in ways that are culturally, economically and regionally relevant. They turn national ambition into products, services and jobs which is why the UAE’s AI vision has always placed entrepreneurship alongside regulation and infrastructure.

How does Step Dubai balance AI innovation with ethics, regulation and trust?

I believe that one of the UAE’s core strengths is that regulation has evolved alongside innovation, not after it. Ethical AI, transparency and trust have been part of the conversation from the start, particularly in government-led adoption. At Step, we reflect that balance by putting regulators, founders and technologists on the same stage. Trust is not a brake on innovation here; it is what allows AI to scale responsibly.

What should founders, investors and creatives expect to take away from Step Dubai 2026?

In addition to the reputation we’ve worked hard to establish in the last 14 years of creating a moment where founders and investors can unite and collaborate whilst listening to and learning from some of the world’s most engaging business leaders - they should leave with a clear understanding of why Dubai and the UAE is one of the most credible AI hubs globally. It is not just because of capital or ambition, but because of long-term planning and execution. Founders will see how to build within this ecosystem, investors will understand where real value is emerging, and creatives will see how intelligence is reshaping culture and content. Step Dubai 2026 is a snapshot of an AI economy years in the making - and now accelerating.