The world may be less than a decade away from curing all existing genetic diseases, attendees at the Dubai Future Forum heard on Monday, as global scientists, technologists, futurists and cultural leaders explored the breakthroughs that could reshape humanity’s next century.
The event delivered some of its most striking predictions to date — spanning gene editing, genomics, AI, global R&D, ocean mapping, and the future of human identity.
Dr Trevor Martin, Co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Mammoth Biosciences, told delegates: “We are at an exciting moment in gene editing… offering a one-time cure that will reshape the healthcare system as we know it.
Dubai Future Forum 2025
“It’s revolutionary, and I truly believe that within the next ten years we could treat all genetic diseases in existence today.
“This is a new way of thinking about healthcare. How do we pay for this? This is a one-time permanent cure. This could save the healthcare system immense amounts of money.”
In a session titled “The Future of Coming Together: How Do the Arts Create Connection in a Changing World?”, Rajat Malhotra, Co-Founder of Sole DXB, addressed rising social fragmentation, saying:” There’s been a global weaponisation of individualism. Being yourself and expressing yourself matters but functioning as a society matters just as much—and you can’t do that alone.”
In “Genomic Equity: Can Genomics Serve Everyone in the Future?”, speakers noted that more than 80 per cent of global genomic data originates from people of European descent. Albarah El-Khani, Senior Vice President of Operations at M42, said Abu Dhabi plans to launch a sovereign genomic data-sharing initiative in 2026.
“Today we have 120 petabytes of genomic data stored as part of the Emirates Genomic Research Programme,” he noted.
Big ideas at Dubai event
- Oceans, ecosystems and regeneration: During “Ocean Breakthroughs: What Futures Await Beyond the Depths?”, attendees heard that although two-thirds of Earth’s surface is ocean, only 30 per cent has been mapped. Dr Ulrike Pfreundt, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of rrreefs, said: “If we help nature regenerate, it helps us regenerate as well”
- The future of futurism: In “Today & Tomorrow: What Makes a Futurist?”, panellists explored a rapidly evolving discipline. Dr Bree Trevena, Arup’s APAC Foresight Leader, said: “Being a futurist is for us about being useful, not necessarily about being right, but about helping others question their assumptions”
- Arabic language and culture in AI: “Beyond the Algorithm: What Future for Arabic and Cultural Narratives in AI?” revisited the region’s historical contributions to global knowledge and the underrepresentation of Arabic in modern AI systems
- Global R&D and ground-level innovation: In “Innovation Without Borders: How Do We Unlock the Full Power of Global R&D?”, Khalifa Al Qama, Director of Dubai Future Labs, said: “Technology cannot be imposed from the top by governments or emerge only from the bottom. It must be informed by ongoing dialogue with what is actually happening on the ground”
- The consumer of 2035: Michael Costigan, who leads the Salesforce Futures team, said in “The Global Consumer 2035: What Are World Markets Telling Us About the Future?”: “The children of the past decade were effectively the test case for what it means to grow up online; they built their sense of self on the internet and were monitored in ways humanity had never seen before”
- The frontier of the human mind: In “The Frontier Within: What Have We Yet to Learn About Our Mind?”, speakers examined the link between the human brain and emerging technologies. Dr Sara King — Neuroscientist, Artist, Philosopher and Founder of MindHeart AI — cautioned: “There is a certain type of sycophantic nature that is being built into tools like ChatGPT because it wants you to return to it over and over again… it is going to tell you what it thinks you want to hear”
- The age of predictive medicine: “The Precision Leap: Is Healthcare Ready for the Age of Anticipation?” explored how predictive diagnostics, precision tools and AI are moving medicine from reactive systems to pre-emptive, personalised models
- The future of family enterprises: The day closed with “The Legacy of Family Businesses: How Do We Foster Their Longevity & Resilience?”, examining how family enterprises can remain resilient amid generational and economic transitions
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