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Across The UAE

Analysts say the UAE has built a powerful combination of zero personal income tax, investor-friendly residency policies, political stability, luxury real estate opportunities, global connectivity, and high-quality infrastructure, turning cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi into attractive bases for global entrepreneurs, investors, and family offices—while high-profile figures such as Changpeng Zhao of Binance highlight how sectors including cryptocurrency, logistics, retail, technology, construction, and real estate are helping position the UAE alongside global wealth centres like Singapore, London, and New York City as a preferred destination for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

According to a survey by Christie’s International Real Estate Dubai, the answer appears to be no—most sellers are holding firm on their asking prices, reflecting strong confidence in the market, even as conditions soften; while many buyers say they are actively looking for discounted deals, residents and investors share mixed views, with some believing prices will remain stable due to demand and long-term growth, while others feel that better bargains may eventually emerge if market pressures increase.

In Dubai, tenants and landlords are generally free to agree on how rent is paid; whether monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annually. Under Dubai tenancy rules, there is no legal requirement that rent must be collected through four or six cheques if both sides agree to another arrangement. However, if the tenancy contract already specifies payment terms; such as four cheques; and the landlord does not agree to change them, those agreed terms usually remain binding. Where no payment schedule is stated or cannot be verified, the default position under Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai is that rent is payable in four equal quarterly instalments in advance. Tenants seeking monthly payments may try negotiating with the landlord or real estate office by highlighting budgeting convenience or offering alternative payment arrangements. Do you think more landlords in Dubai should move toward monthly rent payments to make housing costs easier to manage?

Dubai has always moved quickly when technology becomes part of economic growth. From smart government services to advanced logistics, fintech, tourism, real estate, retail, and digital media, the city has built a reputation for turning innovation into practical infrastructure. Today, artificial intelligence is entering a new phase. It is no longer only about chatbots, automation, or data analysis. A growing part of AI adoption now involves multimodal systems that can understand and create across text, images, audio, and video. For Dubai’s business community, this shift could become especially important because the city’s economy depends heavily on speed, communication, global branding, and customer experience. As companies compete for attention in a fast-moving digital market, multimodal AI is becoming a practical tool for creating better content, improving workflows, and presenting ideas more clearly. Why Multimodal AI Matters for Dubai Businesses Traditional business communication often separates different types of content. A marketing team writes copy in one tool, creates visuals in another, edits video elsewhere, and then adapts everything for websites, social media, presentations, and advertising platforms. This process can be expensive and time-consuming, especially for startups and small businesses. Multimodal AI changes this workflow. Instead of treating text, images, video, and audio as separate tasks, it allows teams to work with them together. A company can begin with a written idea, add product photos, include brand references, describe a scene, and generate visual content that reflects the intended message. This is valuable in Dubai because businesses often operate across multilingual and multicultural audiences. A campaign may need to speak to residents, tourists, investors, partners, and international customers at the same time. Visual storytelling helps bridge that gap. From Smart City Vision to Smarter Content Dubai’s digital development has always been linked to practical outcomes. The goal is not technology for its own sake, but technology that improves services, strengthens competitiveness, and supports future industries. Multimodal AI fits naturally into this environment. It can support government communication, business marketing, tourism promotion, education, healthcare awareness, real estate presentations, retail campaigns, and events. For example, a tourism company can turn a simple itinerary into a short promotional video. A real estate agency can transform property images into lifestyle-focused visual stories. A restaurant can create seasonal campaign assets without organising a full video shoot. A training company can convert written material into visual learning content. A startup can explain a complex product through short, clear videos for investors and customers. These are not futuristic use cases. They are practical examples of how AI can reduce friction in everyday business communication. Helping SMEs Compete with Larger Brands Small and medium-sized enterprises are a major part of the UAE’s business environment. However, SMEs often face a common challenge: they need high-quality content but do not always have large creative teams or agency budgets. This is where AI-assisted content creation can make a real difference. A small company can test multiple campaign ideas before spending heavily on production. A founder can create a visual pitch for a new product. A local service provider can build professional-looking educational content. A retailer can generate product-focused visuals for different customer segments. Tools such as Gemini Omni represent this wider movement toward multimodal creation, where businesses can work with text, image, video, and creative direction in a more unified way. Instead of only generating isolated assets, these tools point toward a future where teams can move from idea to visual draft faster and then refine the result through natural language instructions. For Dubai’s SMEs, that speed can be a competitive advantage. The ability to create, test, and improve content quickly allows smaller companies to respond to market trends with more confidence. Real Estate, Tourism, and Retail: Three Key Sectors Some sectors in Dubai may benefit from multimodal AI faster than others. Real Estate Dubai’s real estate market is highly visual. Buyers and investors want to understand not only the property itself but also the lifestyle around it. AI video tools can help agencies turn images, floor plans, and written descriptions into engaging previews, neighbourhood guides, and project explainers. This does not replace professional photography or trusted property information. Instead, it adds another layer of presentation that can help clients imagine space, movement, atmosphere, and potential use. Tourism and Hospitality Dubai’s tourism sector depends on experience. Hotels, tour operators, entertainment venues, restaurants, and travel agencies need content that captures attention quickly. Multimodal AI can help create short-form videos, campaign variations, event previews, and social media assets for different audiences. A hotel could create different versions of a promotional clip for families, business travellers, and luxury tourists. A tour company could adapt one concept into multiple languages and formats. This kind of flexibility is useful in a global tourism hub. Retail and E-commerce Retailers need constant content for product launches, seasonal offers, influencer campaigns, and online stores. AI can help generate product videos, lifestyle visuals, ad concepts, and platform-specific variations. For e-commerce brands in Dubai, this can reduce the gap between product availability and campaign execution. The Human Role Remains Essential While AI can accelerate production, human judgment remains essential. Businesses still need to understand their audience, define their message, protect their brand identity, and review content for accuracy. This is especially important in sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, law, and government services, where misleading content can create serious problems. AI should assist communication, not replace responsibility. Good results depend on clear creative direction. A vague prompt will usually produce a vague output. A strong brand brief, clear audience profile, and specific business goal will produce better content. In this sense, AI rewards strategic thinking. Responsible AI Adoption As Dubai and the wider UAE continue to strengthen their AI ecosystem, responsible use will become increasingly important. Businesses should consider how generated content is labelled, how customer data is handled, and how brand assets are used. Companies should also create internal guidelines. These may include rules for reviewing AI-generated visuals, checking factual claims, protecting customer privacy, and ensuring that content reflects the company’s values. Responsible AI adoption is not a barrier to innovation. It is what allows innovation to scale with trust. A Practical Step Toward Future-Ready Business Multimodal AI is not just another content trend. It represents a broader shift in how companies communicate, train, sell, and explain ideas. For Dubai, a city built on ambition, global connectivity, and rapid execution, this technology aligns closely with the next stage of digital business growth. The companies that benefit most will not simply generate more content. They will use AI to communicate better. They will test ideas faster, personalise messages more effectively, and turn complex concepts into clear visual stories. Dubai’s business environment has always rewarded those who can move early, adapt quickly, and think globally. Multimodal AI gives companies another way to do exactly that.

According to Ashish Mehta, under Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai and its amendment Law No. (33) of 2008, a landlord-tenant relationship in Dubai is governed strictly by the tenancy contract. This document must clearly outline all rental terms, including any additional payments. Real estate agencies can only charge an annual administration fee—such as Dh1,500 for contract renewals—if this charge is explicitly stated and agreed upon in the tenancy contract. If the fee is not mentioned, tenants have the right to question or dispute it. In unresolved cases, tenants may escalate the matter to the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre or the Real Estate Regulatory Agency. As per Article 22 of the tenancy law, tenants are generally responsible for government-related fees and taxes linked to property use, unless otherwise specified in the contract.

Despite repeated predictions of a cooling market, Dubai real estate recorded 20 per cent year-on-year growth in 2025 with more than 270,000 transactions worth Dh917 billion, prompting industry leaders to argue that demand is being driven by population growth, wealth inflows, residency reforms and infrastructure — not speculation — and that momentum could be even stronger in 2026; do you think Dubai’s property boom is sustainable in the long term, or are we heading toward a natural correction?

Under the expanded Nafis programme, Emiratis working in the private sector will now receive uncapped child allowances (removing the previous four-child limit), along with monthly salary support of up to Dh3,000 for children of Emirati mothers and wives of Emirati men, while the scheme—extended to 2040—also shifts focus toward high-value sectors like banking, AI, and real estate; but what’s your take, will these enhanced benefits truly encourage more Emiratis to join and stay in the private sector, or are there still challenges that need to be addressed?

According to Dubai’s tenancy laws — Law No. 26 of 2007 and its amendment Law No. 33 of 2008 — the landlord-tenant relationship is governed by a tenancy contract that must clearly outline rent, payment terms, and any additional fees. If the contract explicitly states that the tenant must pay an administration fee for contract renewal, the real estate agency may charge it as part of their service. However, if the agreement does not mention such a fee, tenants can question the charge with the agency and may escalate the issue to the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre at Dubai Land Department or the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) if it remains unresolved. Have you been asked to pay similar renewal or administration fees while renting in Dubai, and do you think such charges are fair?

Many real estate analysts and investors believe Abu Dhabi is gaining strong momentum due to rising property values, relatively affordable entry prices compared to Dubai, high occupancy rates, and growing demand for both ready and off-plan homes—while areas such as Al Reef and Saadiyat Island are increasingly attracting attention for their strong price growth and lifestyle appeal, with others viewing the emirate’s controlled supply pipeline, expanding business sectors, and resilient office market as signs that Abu Dhabi could emerge as one of the UAE’s most attractive long-term investment destinations despite ongoing regional geopolitical uncertainty.

According to legal experts, rent increases in Dubai must comply with the Dubai Land Department’s rental index, even if both parties signed the renewal. Tenants are advised to first discuss the matter amicably with the landlord and then verify the increase through the DLD Rental Index. If the increase exceeds the allowed limit, the case can be raised with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).