Sharjah has presented the concept for Uruk, a model for a new generation of cities designed for life after the arrival of AI. It is built around self-sufficiency and is meant to give residents back their time.

The project was unveiled at the opening of the second edition of Sharjah Next. His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended, as did Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of American University of Sharjah (AUS) and Chairperson of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK). Uruk is a strategic partnership between SPARK, AUS and SEE Holding. SPARK brings innovation, AUS brings scientific research and SEE Holding brings sustainable urban development.

The idea behind Uruk is that a city which meets its own needs and manages them intelligently can create plenty of both resources and time. All of its energy is planned to come from solar, wind and biogas. Water will come from groundwater desalination and the reuse of treated water, and waste will be handled in a circular system.

Food is also part of the plan. The city is set to include indoor and outdoor farms, fish, egg and honey production, and private farming plots for residents, with suppliers across Sharjah filling the gaps.

“The true measure of progress is not what technology can achieve, but what it makes possible for people,” said Faris Saeed, Founder and Chairman of SEE Holding. “When a city produces its essential resources, manages them intelligently and eases everyday demands, it gives residents something invaluable: more time for family, creativity, health and community life.”

In daily life, robots and intelligent systems will take on deliveries, cleaning and security. The street layout will put walking and cycling first, backed by electric and shared transport.

Uruk is also designed as a working test bed. Researchers, students and entrepreneurs will be able to trial new technologies in real conditions. Residents will help shape the solutions, so that work aimed at community needs reaches everyday use faster.

“Our ambition is to create an AI-powered innovation city, where technology is embedded into its foundations from the outset,” said Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK. “A city where researchers work alongside entrepreneurs, global companies collaborate with universities, ideas are tested in real-world settings, and innovations move faster from the laboratory into society.”