Al Dhaid Date Festival introduces AI for the first time in dates competition judging

Sharjah, July 28, 2025

The Organising Committee of the Al Dhaid Date Festival has implemented artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time in “Mazaiena Al Rutab” (Dates Beauty) Contest, one of the festival’s flagship events, in a pioneering move that reflects the Committee’s commitment to enhancing judging mechanisms and raising competition standards.

Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), this year’s edition of the festival drew in leading date producers, palm farmers from across the UAE, and representatives from 15 agricultural companies, alongside key government and private sector stakeholders, and home-based businesses. It took place from July 23 to 27 at Expo Al Dhaid.

This initiative marks the first of its kind in the UAE and reflects Al Dhaid Date Festival’s strategic focus on innovation and elevating the overall participant and visitor experience.

The newly introduced AI system is designed to strengthen evaluation standards through advanced analysis of quality, size, color, and appearance, ensuring objective, transparent, and efficient judging across the festival’s core competitions.

These include the flagship ‘Mazaiena Al Rutab’, as well as dedicated categories for local lemons and figs, the children’s ‘Rutab Al Kharaif Beauty’ contest, and the women-only homegrown date competition, all of which saw contestants presenting premium varieties of locally produced dates.

The Organising Committee emphasised that the adoption of AI is part of the Al Dhaid Date Festival’s strategic vision to drive digital transformation and harness technology in supporting agricultural stakeholders. This move aims to modernise palm product assessment systems, positioning the festival as a key national platform in the sector.

It also fosters the convergence of agricultural heritage and technological advancement, highlighting the productivity and diversity of local crop yields and solidifying the UAE’s global leadership in date and palm production.