Dubai-it: 21-year-old moved from UK to Dubai to chase AI revolution, now inspired by Sheikh Mohammed's 'lion and gazelle' quote

Dubai: Seven months ago, 21-year-old British expat Callum Mughal decided to pack his bags and move to Dubai with his family. A decision he says is proven right every day he’s been here since. As a young computer science student in Birmingham, Mughal had always been keen on technology and could see the massive shift that artificial intelligence was about to bring in. “I had a passion for building myself and solving problems that people face. I knew AI is going to take off, so I started looking for places where AI was a big focus,” he said. The first name that came up was Silicon Valley. The second? Dubai. “I have always thought Dubai was a nice place, even though I’d never been here. I mentioned it to my family, and we just agreed to make the move,” he said. “Honestly, it’s been one of the better decisions I’ve taken,” he added, Today, he and his 23-year-old brother Faron, run DaitaFix, a company that helps businesses adapt to the changing way people search for information in the age of AI. “Normally, businesses rely on SEO, which is optimising for search engines but now with AI people, in general, use AI platforms as they are a quicker and more convenient. Majority of the business aren’t optimised to show up on these AI platforms so we focus on helping businesses optimise for it,” he said. Dubai, he feels, provides just the right environment for it. “It’s been a completely different energy compared to being in the UK – there’s a real community feel here, everyone is more polite and wanting the best for you. It also feels like there’s no judgement … everyone’s equal,” he said. Since it was his decision to make the move to Dubai, Mughal was driven to make sure it succeeded. What he was pleasantly surprised by, though, is how having that level of drive and ambition wasn’t an isolating experience in Dubai – whether he met founders in networking events, or just happened to strike up a conversation with someone at the beach, Dubai seems to offer a unique combination of ambition and community. “Being in that environment where everyone is moving, and putting one leg in front of the other, it’s a really positive experience,” he said. That philosophy, for Mughal, is perfectly summed up in the famous quote by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai: “In the UAE, in Dubai, I don’t care if you are a gazelle or a lion - when you wake up, you better start running.” “The saying really stuck with me because you could be a really successful business owner or someone like me who’s just starting off, it doesn’t matter – stay hungry, stay passionate and stay consistent,” Mughal said. When ambition becomes contagious While Callum started the business last year as a part-time venture alongside his university studies, it wasn't long before he realised it was what he wanted to do full-time. “I realised that I had found my passion – I Ioved doing what I was doing and I would wake up ready to attack the day. I was excited for it, so I swapped and now I’m studying part-time and doing the business full-time,” he said. The perfect partner on that journey was his older brother, who is 23, and has the same passion for technology and helping business make the transition to the AI age. “He’s two years older to me, but we’re incredibly close, we’re basically twins,” he said with a laugh. The two brothers share more than a close bond – they also share a passion for technology. Today, they run an AI company in Dubai, helping businesses adapt to the changing way people search for information. While they had extended family back in the UK, the tight-knit family decided to make the decision together to move to Dubai earlier this year. “We knew if we stayed back in the UK, there would be less opportunity for growth,” he said. A city focused on the future From the moment he landed in the city, Mughal could see the future-focused mindset that is reflected in everyday life in Dubai. So, when the UAE government announced in May this year that it would adopt Agentic AI in 50% of government services and operations, Mughal said he wasn’t surprised. “One thing about Dubai is that it moves fast, you just have to look at how the city runs. When I came here and saw the autonomous cars on the roads, it was a massive indicator for me that this place is focused on innovation and technology,” he said. “This is the centre of innovation, this is where things get tested and put into production. It all starts here,” he added. As a young AI entrepreneur, as he continues building both his company and his future, one personal motto keeps him moving – “nothing will change if nothing changes". So every day, he wakes up determined to make the changes that will bring him closer to his dreams, in a city that has taught him one simple lesson: Wake up, and start running.