Dubai Municipality has launched the world’s first artificial intelligence-powered park design challenge to completely reimagine Al Safa 2 Park. Organised under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the global competition offers a total prize pool of Dhs 200,000 to develop a smarter, more sustainable public space tailored to the everyday needs of local families and residents.
The initiative marks a move towards data-driven urban planning, requiring participants to demonstrate how an integrated ecosystem of AI tools can optimise park features for the local community. Rather than replacing human creativity, the challenge tasks architects, urban planners, students, and technology innovators with using machine learning to analyse local user insights, spatial layouts, and environmental factors. For Dubai residents, this means the future Al Safa 2 Park will be specifically tailored to the community's actual usage patterns, offering optimised shading, improved microclimates, and fully accessible facilities for all age groups and abilities.
His Excellency Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said, “The launch of the world’s first AI-powered park design challenge reflects Dubai’s ambition to lead the future of urban innovation by combining advanced technologies with human-centred design. Under the leadership’s vision, Dubai Municipality continues to develop transformative initiatives that enhance quality of life, strengthen community participation and reimagine public spaces as integrated destinations designed around people and their daily needs.”
His Excellency Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita added: “Artificial intelligence is not replacing human creativity in this challenge. It is being used as a tool to expand possibilities, deepen understanding and support better design decisions. Through this initiative, we aim to attract bold ideas from designers, researchers, students, startups and technology innovators, while reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global model for designing smart, sustainable and liveable future cities.”
Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said, “Parks play a direct role in shaping community wellbeing, social connection and everyday quality of life. Through this challenge, Dubai Municipality is exploring a new model for public space design, where artificial intelligence helps generate deeper insights into people, place, climate and use, while ensuring that the final outcome remains practical, inclusive and centred on human experience.”
Bader Anwahi, “Al Safa 2 Park provides an opportunity to test how AI can support the design of more responsive, comfortable and sustainable public spaces. Our focus is on developing a park that is accessible, engaging and meaningful for all ages and abilities, while reflecting the needs of the community and Dubai’s identity as a city of innovation.”
Submissions are evaluated based on the strength of their AI integration, practical feasibility, environmental sustainability, and how effectively data analysis is translated into real-world spatial outcomes. Global and local specialists, researchers, and tech startups have until 15 August 2026 to submit their innovative proposals through Dubai Municipality’s official digital platform.