We all have heard of Burning Man, a community devoted to individuals showing off the best of themselves, in artistic forms of self-expression and self-reliance. But is it outdated? For those new to the Burning Man community, art is created through experimental and interactive sculpture, building, performance, and other media. The event brings hundreds of thousands of strangers from around the world to one central isolated location each year, creating brand-new relationships and partnerships in the process.

In the cryptospace, there’s the NextGen Blockchain Summit, a community of industry whales and futuristic technologists. And this year, it’s being held on the largest futuristic yacht in the Gulf and Middle East

Who would have thought that flying taxis from the Fifth Element and Blade Runner films would have become possible? The Futurama Blockchain Innovators Summit combines three revolutionary technologies: blockchain, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. Imagine a central location, on beautiful waters, where organizers can showcase futuristic solutions, inspired by digital technology, breathtaking AI projects, and high-tech performance. Think of “Black Mirror” on a yacht.

The best part of festivals like Burning Man and the Futurama Summit is that they not only bring the industry together, but they connect the industry with its leading influencers, like Brock Pierce

All these industry leaders support innovative technologies that are being integrated into Smart Cities. And the Futurama Summit turns their existence from virtual into real with personal health data, a billion-dollar trading algorithm, drones that can self-coordinate, and the most advanced artificial general intelligence that can reason and theorize.

The highlight of the show, unmanned sky taxis developed by Vimana, have already gained UAE airspace authorities’ support for a service launch by 2020. These autonomous passenger drones can safely ferry 4 to 6 passengers throughout the cities’ hypermodern towers and bypass the daily traffic jams for which Dubai has become infamous.

And there’s more. The metropolis has already become the first smart city to implement an unprecedented program of integrating the latest technologies in urban services, enriching the lives of its residents and ensuring a constant flow of investment. Following the air transport program, by 2021, the UAE plans to launch the first Arab research probe to Mars.

Dubai might be the first city on Earth where you can forgo the traditional stuck-in-a-taxi-in-traffic experience and hail an autonomous drone to ferry you through clear skies on to your destination. 2017 was the year of the crypto bull, and while everyone is hopeful that crypto markets will replicate last year’s performance, it is certain that 2018 will be the year of the blockchain. And the Futurama Innovators Blockchain Summit will definitely be a place to visit for those who want to step into the future.