PC: Zawya
Digital Dubai, together with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC), has initiated the first-ever UN Citiverse Challenge. This initiative is bent on the use of AI-powered virtual worlds to inspire innovation, resilience, and digital inclusivity, thus changing the world.
The challenge is aligned with the united vision of Digital Dubai, ITU, and UNICC in driving digital transformation and encouraging integrated digital ecosystem partnerships. They are complemented by a host of global organizations, including the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank Group, UN Tourism, UNICEF, Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC), the City of Tampere, and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said this challenge will connect aspiring tech leaders with partners to improve AI and the virtual world for sustainable development. His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai and Chair of the Executive Committee for the GIVAI Project, pointed out that global partnerships ensure that these innovations serve humanity. He reaffirmed Dubai’s commitment to predicting the future and leveraging AI-powered virtual worlds to contribute to the Pact for the Future and the SDGs.
Launched in the World Governments Summit on February 13, 2025, the challenge seeks to inspire youth and startups worldwide to develop AI-driven virtual world solutions for global challenges. It seeks to bridge digital divides and create new digital opportunities, ensuring that emerging technologies contribute to equitable and sustainable progress.
The initiative is part of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI – Discovering the Citiverse and aims at advancing a strong initiative for open, interoperable, and innovative AI-powered virtual environments. This aims to widen the expected significance of AI-powered virtual worlds beyond entertainment, seeing ones that will establish themselves as essential tools of governance, education, public policy, and industry transformation.
At the first Executive Committee Meeting on 10 February 2025, a mission statement that establishes an unwavering commitment to safety, inclusivity, and sustainability in AI-powered virtual worlds was approved by the members. The vision “AI-Powered Virtual Worlds: Pioneering a Safe, Inclusive, and Sustainable Digital Future” serves as a strategic roadmap to realize the integration of AI, digital twins, IoT, and immersive experiences into real-world applications.
H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori expressed satisfaction with the vision’s endorsement and called upon governments, industry, academia, and technology leaders to collaborate in shaping the future of digital ecosystems. UNICC’s Director Sameer Chauhan stressed the role of AI and virtual worlds in helping to confronting global challenges and invited innovators around the world to participate in the Citiverse Challenge.
The challenge is to ensure that AI and virtual worlds become the driving force behind digital transformation, engaging decision-makers and showcasing the integrated digital ecosystems’ potential. The second edition of UN Virtual Worlds Day 2025, scheduled for 11-12 June in Turin, Italy, will host the awards ceremony for the challenge. Co-organized with over 15 UN entities, it will spotlight how AI and virtual worlds can be employed in governance, education, health care, and sustainable developments.
