The 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2026), organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), takes visitors on a literary adventure with ‘My Story World’, the first initiative of its kind in the Arab world. Designed to place the reader at the heart of the creative process, it allows them to become both the creator and hero of the story.
The initiative welcomes visitors into a unique adventure, where they begin by answering personal questions that analyse their cultural preferences. Artificial intelligence then uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality framework to outline the hero’s traits and create a personalised avatar, combining the visitor’s photo with a range of main character options from the featured stories before moving on to the second stage of the adventure.
The pavilion features 12 large interactive screens, including one designed for people of determination, transporting children and adults alike into three different worlds. In ‘Hamdan’s Wonderful Holiday’ by Emirati author Nadia Al Najjar, children experience dramatic story-building by selecting their own narrative out of 18 options, producing a different story each time and allowing the child to determine how the story progresses.
Adults, meanwhile, embark on an exceptional experience with Egyptian novelist and screenwriter Ahmed Mourad in his story ‘Beyond the Reflections’, which allows reader to contribute their own writing and personal vision to the body of the story. Artificial intelligence then formulates it while ensuring consistency with the overall context. In another suspense-filled experience, the heroine of ‘The Jinn of Jebel Hafeet’ by American author Todd Gallicano embarks on an adventure whose broad narrative lines are guided by the reader through selected text prompts.
This creative experience culminates in a rapid transition from the digital format to the library shelf. The initiative includes a printing room that produces the complete book with its cover in just four minutes from the moment the story is submitted and finalised. Visitors leave the pavilion carrying their own personalised printed story, featuring their image on the back cover and a dedication from the original author at the beginning.
The project took nine months of continuous development under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre in collaboration with Lenador Systems, the Fair’s official technology systems sponsor. More than 100 specialists participated in the project, working in five teams covering technical engineering, literary design, translation, editing, and artificial intelligence, in addition to audio recording teams that combined human performance with smart technologies.
The ‘My Story World’ experience concludes with a personalised map guiding visitors to titles aligned with their interests, outlining the books available at the Fair and their locations, as well as panel discussions and events that suit their preferences. The pavilion has generated significant interest from audiences of all age groups, who engage in a creative experience that blends the wonder of technology with the passion of the Arabic word.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is an international cultural platform that brings together publishers, intellectuals, specialists, libraries, agents, cultural institutions, and media entities. Through its Cultural, Knowledge, Professional, Educational, and Creative Programmes, the Fair contributes to strengthening communication and enhancing cooperation, thereby supporting the development of the publishing sector and creative industries.
