- Microsoft and Sharaf DG ran a “Co-Blocks” activation at City Centre Deira and City Centre Zahia.
- Four zones showed Copilot+ PCs in simple tasks: create, translate, organise and find.
- Promocell designed and executed the concept with a focus on hands-on play.
- The event boosted social sharing and helped families see practical AI use at home and school.
- It reflects the UAE’s push to normalise AI for everyday life.
Tech launches often feel like lectures. This wasn’t one of them. Microsoft and Sharaf DG brought Copilot+ PCs into two UAE malls and let the crowd learn by doing.
The “Co-Blocks Innovation Showcase” split the experience into four quick challenges around creation, captions, tasks and recall. It was busy, noisy and surprisingly useful. And it showed how AI on Windows can help at school, at work, and when you’re trying to remember that midnight mug cake recipe.
What is the Co-Blocks activation?
A family-friendly showcase that swaps podiums for play. The floor became a giant game board, with visitors moving through themed stations using Copilot+ PCs. Locations were City Centre Deira and City Centre Zahia.
- Large game board format in high-footfall malls
- Short, guided tasks on Copilot+ PCs
- Content aimed at kids, parents and students
- Designed by Promocell; retail partner Sharaf DG
The setup made AI feel normal. Not a buzzword, just a tool beside the food court. People could try features, ask questions, then film and share the results. It was less “keynote,” more “try this and see.” For a broad UAE context on Copilot+ hardware, see our Surface Copilot+ coverage from GITEX 2025 in Dubai. Surface Copilot+ PCs land in the UAEa .
The four zones: create, translate, organise, remember
Each zone focused on a simple, everyday job that AI can speed up. Names and examples matched how families actually live online.
- Co-Create: Kids designed eco-themed posters
- Live Captions: Real-time translation for K-pop lip-syncs
- Click-to-Do: Turned essays into cleaner titles and tasks
- Recall: Pulled up saved items like “midnight mug cake”
The mix hit a sweet spot: creative, social and practical. Co-Create made content in minutes. Live Captions showed how language barriers drop away in a YouTube-first world. Click-to-Do hinted at how students can tidy drafts and to-dos. Recall demonstrated quick retrieval of things you have already worked on. If you want the nuts and bolts on why these laptops run AI features smoothly, read our primer on NPUs in Copilot+ PCs. Snapdragon NPU in Copilot PCs.
Why malls, and why the UAE?
Malls are where the region shops, eats and hangs out. Putting Copilot+ there meets people where they are. It also taps the UAE’s appetite for AI-driven tools.
- High footfall and mixed audiences
- Low barrier to first-time use
- Easy social sharing to amplify reach
- Fits the country’s push on digital skills
Families queued to roll oversized dice, then posted clips and selfies. Kids learned AI is not scary. Parents saw value in homework, captions and everyday tasks. The format turned “AI adoption” into something you could film in 15 seconds. For buyers planning device refreshes post-Windows 10, this shift is timely. Windows 10 support ends: what to do in the UAE.
Who did what: Microsoft, Sharaf DG and Promocell
The activation worked because the roles were clear. Microsoft supplied the Copilot+ PCs and Windows features. Sharaf DG provided the retail platform inside high-traffic malls. Promocell created and produced the entire experience.
- Microsoft: Copilot+ PCs and feature demos
- Sharaf DG: in-mall retail presence and logistics
- Promocell: concept, design, build and on-ground ops
- Shared goal: make AI approachable for all ages
Promocell’s GM Vanessa Crasta framed it simply: technology lands better when it’s discovered through shared experiences, not manuals. The tone matched the event. Less marketing, more moments. It’s also a model other brands can borrow for back-to-school seasons, public holidays and festival peaks across the UAE.
From floor to feed: what success looked like
The busy floor was only half the story. The other half lived on phones. Visitors posted their creations, captions and challenges, extending reach beyond the two malls.
- Constant queues and repeated tries
- Short, shareable wins at each station
- Hundreds of posts and reels
- Clear split: fun for kids, utility for parents
This is the kind of activation that turns into after-school homework help and weekend projects. It nudges families toward AI PCs when they upgrade laptops. And because the demos map to real tasks, the leap from “fun in the mall” to “use at home and school” is small. The approach also aligns with Microsoft’s regional push on Copilot and agentic AI we’ve covered during GITEX in Dubai. Microsoft’s agentic AI focus at GITEX 2025.
FAQs
What is Copilot+ in this context?
It refers to Windows PCs designed for on-device AI tasks, demonstrated here through creative, captioning, task and recall experiences.
Where did the activation take place?
City Centre Deira and City Centre Zahia, in partnership with Sharaf DG.
Who produced the activation?
Promocell designed and executed the showcase with Microsoft and Sharaf DG.
What did visitors actually do?
Design posters, try real-time captions and translation, tidy written work into clear titles and tasks, and recall items they’d used before.
Why does this matter for the UAE?
It normalises AI for everyday life and ties into the country’s strong interest in practical AI skills at home, school and work.
