Investing in an AI-Driven World | His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak

From the collapse of the pearl trade to becoming a global powerhouse in oil and gas, the UAE has repeatedly reinvented itself through resilience and long-term thinking.  In this episode of the Tools and Weapons podcast, His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, joins Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith to explore how Mubadala thinks about long-term capital investment, why the UAE is positioned as an early leader in AI adoption, and what history can teach us about preparing for the world’s next major technological shift. Khaldoon breaks down the role of sovereign capital in shaping emerging technologies, and why patience may be the most powerful competitive advantage in an era defined by rapid change. Chapters 00:00 - Understanding Mubadala's long-term investment philosophy 05:26 - How UAE embraces AI for government and society 11:50 - From pearl trade to AI: a history of reinvention 16:29 - Khaldoon's outlook on AI markets and Africa 23:08 - Future and generational wisdom