10-Year-Old Emirati Girl Launches Free AI Academy to Empower Young Coders Worldwide
A 10-year-old Emirati girl is reshaping tech education with a free AI academy for kids aged 7 to 13. Her goal? To make sure every child, especially girls, can understand and create with artificial intelligence, not just consume it.
Fast Facts
- Project: AI Learning Academy launched by 10-year-old Emirati AlDhabi AlMheiri
- Goal: Teach children aged 7–13 about AI, ethics, and entrepreneurship
- Special Focus: Dedicated ‘Girls in AI’ modules to close gender gap in tech
- Languages: Available in Arabic and English with strict child data protection
- Access: Free for families and schools worldwide at ailearning.ae
A Young Visionary with a Global Mission
AlDhabi AlMheiri, a four-time Guinness World Record holder, launched the AI Learning Academy with a mission to boost digital literacy worldwide. Despite growing AI usage among children, 44% globally, according to one study, only 27% actually understand how the technology works. Even fewer primary schools, less than 10%, offer structured AI education.
Her platform includes 20 engaging video lessons covering AI fundamentals, ethics, and entrepreneurship. Each module features printable worksheets and real-world projects, making tough concepts easy to understand.
“I didn’t want my lessons to sound too formal,” AlDhabi told Khaleej Times. “So I used simple language, friendly cartoon characters, and examples that children actually relate to.”
Teaching Tech Through a Child’s Lens
What sets this platform apart? It’s designed by a kid, for kids. Research shows that peer-designed content increases understanding by up to 40%. Kids are also three times more likely to ask questions when learning from someone their own age.
To close the gender gap, where girls in the MENA region are 30% less likely to participate in AI, AlDhabi has included dedicated “Girls in AI” workshops. These sessions promote equality and encourage young girls to see themselves as future tech leaders.
AlDhabi explains, “I want kids to feel like creators, not just consumers. They can build, they can lead, and they can start young.”
From AI to Entrepreneurship and Ethics
The academy also includes lessons on ethics and entrepreneurship, rare topics for children’s tech platforms. Students learn about AI’s role in everyday life, the difference between human and machine intelligence, and why values like privacy and fairness matter.
The platform is bilingual (Arabic and English), strictly child-safe, and aligned with key UN Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality and quality education.
AlDhabi’s effort is already being recognized globally. Her publishing house, Rainbow Chimney, has reached thousands of young readers. Now, her AI academy aims to reach just as many future coders and builders.
“Technology shouldn’t belong only to adults,” she said. “Children can understand it, shape it, and lead its future ,if we just let them in.”
With 163 hours of IBM-certified AI training, executive education from NYU Abu Dhabi, and a fellowship at Georgetown University’s entrepreneurship programme, AlDhabi’s credentials are far beyond her years.
The AI Learning Academy is now live at ailearning.ae, offering free access for schools and families worldwide.
