Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) hosted the second session of its flagship community engagement platform, MAILIS, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Gaming. The session entitled AI Joins the Game explored the growing impact of artificial intelligence across the gaming industry, from gameplay and innovation to storytelling and career pathways.
As part of MBZUAI’s Year of Community outreach initiative, MAILIS brings together students, researchers, and industry leaders to exchange ideas and inspire the UAE’s future AI leaders.
The latest session featured Rawdha Almeraikhi, Director of Outreach at MBZUAI; Hamdan Al Ali, Ph.D. Candidate in Natural Language Processing at MBZUAI; Boris Kalmykov, Co-founder and CEO of Hypemasters and former executive at Meta and Unity; Marcos Muller-Habig, Abu Dhabi Gaming Sector Enablement Director and Ariana Bermudez, Project Manager, MBZUAI
Participants shared their observations and experience on how AI is transforming creativity in the rapidly evolving games industry, and highlighted opportunities for local talent to contribute to global innovation and creation. The session was hosted in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Gaming, the government-led initiative driving the emirate’s transformation into a global gaming hub.
Rawdha Almeraikhi, Director of Outreach at MBZUAI, opened the session with a keynote emphasising the university’s commitment to creating platforms that empower young people and stimulate innovation.
In her remarks, Almeraikhi said: “Our MAILIS initiative offers an inclusive space where meaningful conversations begin with young minds, seasoned experts, and aspiring creators, who are excited and passionate about how AI can transform industries such as health, energy, creative arts, transport, and education. In this session, we explored the gaming universe through an AI lens, bridging imagination and innovation.”
The programme featured remarks from Marcos Muller-Habig, Abu Dhabi Gaming Sector Enablement Director, who discussed the growing impact of AI on the gaming industry, from unlocking new careers to driving business ambition.
Marcos Muller-Habig said: “Artificial intelligence is not here to replace creativity or human ingenuity - it’s here to amplify it. In gaming, AI is unlocking new possibilities that were once unimaginable, from personalising player experiences to more immersive storytelling. At Abu Dhabi Gaming we are fostering local talent in this evolving space, supporting individuals and companies that are exploring new ways to move the industry forward. Abu Dhabi is rapidly becoming a global hub for innovation in gaming, with AI serving as a powerful tool to create new roles and business opportunities – and we’re excited to be a part of this movement.”
Boris Kalmykov, Co-Founder and CEO of Hypemasters and former executive at Meta and Unity, delivered a session on how AI is revolutionising gameplay and player experiences. Drawing on his global experience in gaming and technology, Kalmykov shared perspectives on the power of AI to reshape the business and storytelling dimensions of modern games.
The session also spotlighted original projects from MBZUAI Ph.D. students. Ariana Bermudez Venegas, whose research focuses on computer vision and human avatars, presented work on AI simulation and real-time interaction in virtual environments. Hamdan Hamid Al-Ali, a system developer at Dubai Police and NLP Ph.D. candidate, shared his AI-powered games rooted in Emirati heritage, including Al Sharah and Emirati Tales, which combine cultural storytelling with educational game mechanics.
The programme concluded with an open Q&A session, inviting dialogue between audience members and speakers on how AI can shape the future of the creative economy.
MBZUAI’s MAILIS continues to grow as a platform designed to connect academia, industry, and community around AI’s most exciting opportunities. By focusing on gaming and creative industries, this session affirmed MBZUAI’s vision to nurture young talent, inspire innovation, and contribute to the UAE’s global leadership in responsible and inclusive AI.
