AD Ports inaugurates AI command centre
Abu Dhabi ports operator runs 20 workstream with artificial intelligence
#UAE #agenticAI - Abu Dhabi-listed AD Ports Group has launched IHQ, an AI-driven intelligence headquarters, which manages thousands of digital workers across 20 global workstreams spanning ports, free zones, maritime, logistics and digital operations. IHQ was launched in the presence of UAE Cybersecurity Council head H.E. Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, with the event marking 20 years since AD Ports Group began investing in digital systems. The pioneering intelligence headquarters supports UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which aims to position the country as a global AI leader by 2031.
SO WHAT? - Few ports operators anywhere have automated to this extent. Many international ports are running pilots, while AD Ports Group has agents already cutting fuel use, scheduling staff and balancing containers in live operations. Although the ports group isn't a government body, its strategy aligns closely with with the UAE government’s plans to deploy agentic AI across 50 percent of government sectors, services and operations within two years. In fact, AD Ports Group is already becoming a case study for industrial agentic AI deployment.
KEY POINTS:
AD Ports Group launched IHQ, an AI-powered intelligence headquarters responsible for managing thousands of ‘digital workers’ across 20 global workstreams, at its Digital District at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi.
The launch took place in the presence of H.E. Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Government’s Cybersecurity Council, underlining a focus on security and responsible AI use.
AD Ports has made 20 of its workstreams either AI-augmented or AI-native, covering its operations for ports, economic cities and free zones, maritime and sshipping, logistics, and digital clusters.
Initial workflow demonstrations shown at launch include port and berth optimisation, vessel arrival orchestration, software development, and talent acquisition.
The platform builds on AD Ports Group’s 20-year digital transformation track record and is positioned as supporting the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which targets global AI leadership by 2031.
AD Ports Group was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2025 for deploying the most AI agents in a single logistics facility, and published a blueprint on building human-AI teams the same year.
AD Ports Group is owned by Abu Dhabi holding company ADQ and operates across five business clusters: Digital, Economic Cities & Free Zones, Logistics, Maritime & Shipping, and Ports.
ZOOM OUT - AD Ports Group set out its agentic AI strategy in November 2025, when it published a “Building Human-AI Teams: AD Ports Group’s Blueprint for Tomorrow’s Workforce”. The blueprint sets out how autonomous digital agents will take on repetitive, data-heavy work in operations, finance, HR and logistics, freeing staff for creative and strategic tasks. To prove the concept, the document highlights AI tools already running in production:
The Vessel Speed Optimiser: Cuts fuel consumption by roughly 3% while maintaining a 98% on-time arrival rate.
The Container Balancer: Pushes container utilization up to 90%.
The Intelligent Workforce Scheduler: Slashes HR processing times by over 90%.
The Group framed the strategy as a move towards human augmentation rather than replacement. In tandem to the AI deployment, new upskilling programmes have been added designed to keep human expertise central as the AD Ports Group adapts to a hybrid human-AI model.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Source: AD Ports Group