The Gulf's practical AI community
AI Mavericks Live · Doha 2026
Practical AI comes to life.
Join business leaders, technology teams, founders, practitioners and ecosystem partners for a full day of real implementation stories, industry conversations, working technology and meaningful connections.
Saturday, 17 October 20269:00 AM – 5:00 PMDoha, QatarVenue to be announced250+ participants
Educate • Connect • Inspire
Produced by the International Business Week (IBW) team in collaboration with Mark X Global.
250+
Expected participants
17 Oct 2026
Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Doha
Venue to be announced
Digital + Physical AI
Software intelligence meets real-world automation
Beyond a single event
A year-round community for practical AI.
AI Mavericks brings together the people exploring, implementing and enabling AI across business and society. Through regular learning sessions, practitioner conversations, technology showcases, industry programmes and community connections, members continue learning and collaborating throughout the year.
Educate • Connect • Inspire
The community is rooted in Qatar and connected to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf ecosystem, with delivery support from the International Business Week (IBW) team.
01
Weekly
Conversations, insights and community exchange.
02
Monthly
Practitioner sessions, workshops and industry discussions.
03
Across the year
Training, showcases, sector programmes and ecosystem initiatives.
04
Flagship gathering
AI Mavericks Live.
Our purpose
Building a community-led AI transformation of society.
Educate • Connect • Inspire
About the event
One day of practical ideas, working technology and valuable connections.
AI Mavericks Live is a one-day practical AI forum for people responsible for understanding, selecting, implementing or enabling AI. The day is a practical community showcase and relationship-building platform, built around useful examples, leadership decisions, real deployment lessons and open exchange.
01 — Practical learning
Implementation stories, leadership decisions and lessons people can apply.
02 — Cross-sector exchange
Enterprise, government, academia, founders, investors and practitioners.
Planned Physical AI Live
A close look at intelligent machines moving from demonstration toward deployment.
Built for the room. Built for media
Sessions and demonstrations captured for post-event content.
What to expect
One day of practical ideas, working technology and valuable connections.
- Real implementation experiences
- Industry-focused conversations
- Practical workshops and masterclasses
- Working technology demonstrations
- Physical AI and robotics
- Founder and startup participation
- Meaningful business and community networking
About IBW / delivery experience
Institutional reach. Proven delivery.
AI Mavericks Live is produced by the team behind International Business Week, with Mark X Global as technical and implementation partner.
International Business Week has spent years convening founders, investors, universities, corporates and ecosystem partners across several markets, building programmes where introductions lead to work rather than to another panel.
25+
Forums delivered
5
Regions
1
International platform
Track record
IBW Qatar Special Edition Conclave
Greater Bay Area China Business Week
Global Tech Weekend, Tbilisi
Innovation Summit, Dubai
IBW Center of Excellence, Doha
Ecosystem ties
Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Qatar Science & Technology Park, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Cyberport, Pace University, Mark X Global
These logos reflect past International Business Week relationships. They are not confirmed partners of AI Mavericks Live.
Event architecture
One implementation-focused day.
Practitioner Case Studies
Problem, deployment, result and lessons.
Keynotes and Leadership Conversations
Leadership perspective on adopting AI with intent.
Panels and Roundtables
Open, working discussion across sectors.
Workshops and Masterclasses
Clear frameworks and hands-on sessions for technical and non-technical leaders.
Technology Demonstrations
Working software and tools shown live, not described in slides.
Physical AI and Robotics
A planned look at intelligent machines in credible working demonstrations.
Planned
Innovation Showcase
An interactive floor of working AI, software, devices and robotics.
Founder and Startup Sessions
Connecting emerging solutions with the wider ecosystem.
Community and Business Networking
Time and space designed for conversations that continue afterwards.
One system · two halves
Digital AI meets Physical AI.
Digital AI
- AI agents and workflow automation
- Enterprise data and decision intelligence
- Customer and employee experiences
- Governance, security and responsible adoption
- AI-enabled business transformation
Physical AI
- Robotics and intelligent automation
- Built-environment applications
- Hospitality and facility operations
- Inspection, logistics and industrial workflows
- Demonstrations moving toward real deployment
Seven focus areas
Where practical AI is already changing the work.
01
Construction & Engineering
Design, delivery and site operations supported by practical intelligence.
02
Hospitality & Tourism
Guest experience, service quality and live operations.
03
Retail
Demand, merchandising, service and store operations.
04
Wellness, Life Sciences & Health
Care delivery, research and wellbeing supported by applied AI.
05
Energy
Reliability, inspection and efficiency in demanding operating environments.
06
AI, FinTech & Emerging Technology
Decision intelligence, risk, financial services and what is arriving next.
07
Mobility
Movement of people and goods, from logistics to autonomous systems.
Who will be in the room
Built for people responsible for outcomes.
- 01CEOs and business leaders
- 02CIOs and technology leaders
- 03Enterprise and operations teams
- 04Founders and startups
- 05AI practitioners
- 06Technology companies and solution providers
- 07Enterprises and potential customers
- 08Investors and strategic partners
- 09Universities, trainers and knowledge partners
- 10Community and ecosystem stakeholders
The day is open to anyone with a professional interest in practical AI, whatever stage they are at.
Programme
One full day, structured for momentum.
The day is built from a mix of formats rather than a fixed hour-by-hour agenda. Final timings follow after speakers and partners are confirmed.
01
Keynotes
02
Panels
03
Roundtables
04
Workshops
05
Masterclasses
06
Practitioner cases
07
Live demos
08
Physical AI
09
Founder and startup sessions
10
Networking
Final timings follow after speakers and partners are confirmed.
On the floor
See it running, not described.
Alongside the sessions, the day makes space for working technology, live pitches and content built to travel beyond the room.
Register Interest
01
Innovation Showcase
An interactive floor of working AI, software, devices and robotics you can walk up to, question and try.
02
Founder and Startup Sessions
Emerging solutions meeting the wider ecosystem of operators, partners and supporters.
03
Built for the room. Built for media
Sessions and demonstrations are captured for post-event content.
Speakers
First speakers to be announced soon.
Speakers are published only after confirmation by the programme team.
Express Interest in SpeakingPartner with AI Mavericks Live
Help build the platform where practical AI comes together.
Partnership is a collaboration. Bring a working case, capability or useful perspective — not a scripted sales pitch.
Support & Sponsorship
Support the delivery of the day and the community around it.
Community & Ecosystem
Connect your community and networks into the wider room.
Industry
Bring sector experience into the conversations that matter.
Knowledge & Training
Contribute learning, workshops and applied expertise.
Technology & Showcase
Demonstrate working technology in a credible setting.
Strategic Collaboration
Shape longer-term programmes together with AI Mavericks.
Ways to contribute
- Supporting event delivery
- Sharing an implementation story
- Contributing to a sector conversation
- Demonstrating relevant technology
- Supporting workshops or learning sessions
- Connecting communities and industry networks
- Developing longer-term programmes with AI Mavericks
Partners support the delivery and reach of AI Mavericks Live. Programme curation, speaker selection, recommendations and audience-data governance remain with the organisers.
Partner ecosystem
The organisations behind the forum
Presented by
AI Mavericks
Technical and implementation relationship
Mark X Global
Delivery support
The International Business Week (IBW) team
Ecosystem Ties
Built in Doha. Connected to the world. Focused on implementation.
Qatar offers the scale, ambition and cross-sector access to move practical AI conversations toward real operating environments. AI Mavericks Live brings the people responsible for that movement into one focused room.
A national AI strategy with six stated priorities
Qatar's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy sets out priorities across education, data access, employment, business, research and ethics.
Top 20 for digital competitiveness
Qatar entered the top 20 of the 2025 IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking.
Sources for editorial verification: Qatar National Artificial Intelligence Strategy; IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2025.
Registration
Join AI Mavericks Live
FAQ
Questions, answered plainly
What is AI Mavericks?
AI Mavericks is a year-round practical AI community rooted in Qatar and connected to the wider Gulf ecosystem. Its purpose is a community-led AI transformation of society, built around three ideas: educate, connect, inspire.
How is the community active through the year?
Weekly conversations and community exchange, monthly practitioner sessions and workshops, and training, showcases and sector programmes across the year. AI Mavericks Live is the community's flagship gathering.
Who is AI Mavericks Live designed for?
Business and technology leaders, enterprise and operations teams, founders and startups, practitioners, solution providers, investors, universities and ecosystem stakeholders.
When and where will the event take place?
Saturday, 17 October 2026, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, in Doha, Qatar. The venue will be published here once it is confirmed.
How many people are expected?
The day is planned for 250+ participants.
What is the Innovation Showcase?
An interactive floor of working AI, software, devices and robotics, where you can see the technology running and speak to the people who built it.
What are the founder and startup sessions?
Sessions that connect emerging solutions with the wider ecosystem of operators, partners and supporters. The format is being planned and is subject to confirmation.
How can my organisation partner with the event?
Use the registration section to speak with the team. Partnership is shaped around shared value — knowledge, technology, community reach, industry experience or strategic support.
Can I apply to speak or demonstrate a solution?
Yes. Use the “Partner, Speak or Demonstrate” path in the registration section. Speakers and demonstrations are confirmed by the programme team before anything is published.
When will the programme and speakers be announced?
The programme is described by format rather than by fixed timings, and it remains subject to confirmation. Final timings follow once speakers and partners are confirmed.
Are sessions recorded?
Sessions and demonstrations are captured for post-event content.
Are tickets on sale?
No. Ticketing is not open. The current action is to register your interest. If a paid ticket model is introduced later, the price and terms will be published here first.
Do partners influence the programme?
Programme curation and speaker selection remain with the organisers. Partners contribute knowledge, technology, reach and support.
