The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has positioned itself at the forefront of the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, achieving one of the highest rates of workplace AI adoption worldwide. According to recent research, nearly 59.4 % of the UAE’s working-age population now uses AI tools daily, putting the country ahead of major digital economies.
The ascent is underpinned by a decade of deliberate policy, investment and infrastructure-building. The UAE government launched its national AI strategy, created the world’s first dedicated university for AI, and attracted global tech firms to establish innovation labs and data centres locally. This ecosystem has enabled broad deployment of AI across sectors such as government services, healthcare, logistics and finance.
Beyond adoption numbers, the UAE is also leading in what is known as “sovereign AI” — the development and control of AI platforms, data, and infrastructure within national boundaries. Research shows that enterprises in the UAE are twice as likely as many global peers to categorise AI as mission-critical, and are achieving higher returns from their implementations.
While the journey is impressive, the UAE still faces challenges in scaling advanced talent, deepening AI integration in traditional industries and ensuring that ethical governance keeps pace with innovation. Nonetheless, the country is now widely regarded not just as a fast adopter of AI, but as a credible global contender shaping how AI will be used, governed and scaled in the coming years.
