Global Media Poised for Transformation

Abu Dhabi will host the BRIDGE Summit from 8 to 10 December 2025 at the ADNEC Centre, uniting heads of state, media executives, policymakers, technologists and content creators in an ambitious bid to redefine the global media landscape. Announced in Washington by Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, chairman of the National Media Office, alongside Dr Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, director-general of the NMO, the summit pledges to foster dialogue, innovation and sustainable growth across the sector. Attendance is expected to exceed 5,000 participants, underpinning its status as a global media landmark.

Preparatory efforts have extended worldwide. In June, a roundtable in London convened Al Hamed and Al Kaabi with media experts during London Tech Week to reinforce the summit’s commitment to transparency, accountability and cross-sector collaboration in an increasingly digital era. In Asia, the BRIDGE roadshow landed in Shanghai, following stops in New York, London and Osaka, each event contributing insights to shape the summit’s agenda. A mission to Seoul in August further advanced partnerships with technology and media firms, including I-ON Communications on AI and data storytelling; Dentons on regulatory frameworks; Lotte Caliverse on immersive media; and SM Entertainment on cultural collaboration. These discussions cemented shared goals around content credibility, technology ethics and investment in creative startups.

The BRIDGE Summit is embedded within a broader ecosystem spearheaded by the National Media Office. Alongside the summit lies the BRIDGE Foundation, a non-profit body dedicated to empowering media professionals, funding research and supporting startups. This aligns with the UAE’s pursuit of media as a force for societal development and economic progress. A recently published fact sheet outlines the summit’s six thematic zones—Academy, Diplomacy, Forum, Marketplace, Impact and Spotlight—designed to foster skills, policy engagement, tech innovation, social impact and cultural exchange across a three-day programme.

AI and ethics feature prominently among the summit’s themes. Organisers emphasise human values in storytelling amid accelerating digital disruption and algorithmic influence. Al Hamed has characterised media as a humanitarian force that must uphold integrity and cohesion, not merely chase clicks. The summit will address responsible AI’s potential and pitfalls, ethical journalism, and media business models fit for the digital age.

Beyond content and tech, BRIDGE seeks to bridge policy and practice. With roundtables and forums designed to foster international dialogue, policymakers, creators and academics will collaborate on frameworks that safeguard credibility while embracing innovation.

The summit’s global scope is reflected in its steady itinerary of international engagements. From Washington to London, Shanghai to Seoul, each stop has contributed regional perspectives and partnerships that will inform the summit’s structure, themes and participant networks.