AI adoption among UAE businesses has climbed to 72% from 53% a year ago, according to research from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office.
That is a 36% rise, and 85% of adopters say digital change is moving faster.
Research firm Strand Partners produced the Unlocking the UAE’s AI Potential 2026 report. Adopters expect the pace of change to keep rising.
Microsoft ranks the UAE first and Singapore second for generative AI use among working-age adults in a separate study, according to The National.
“With 72% of businesses in the UAE now adopting AI, we are seeing the impact of a model built on turning ambition into action,”
said Dr Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office.
“Businesses are adopting AI at speed, moving beyond ‘can we use this?’ to ‘how do we scale it responsibly?'”
said Chris Erasmus, Managing Director for AWS, UAE & MENA Growth Markets.
AWS plans to invest up to AED 20.1 billion (US$5.47 billion) in its UAE cloud region through 2037.
The company estimates this will add AED 41 billion (US$11.16 billion) to UAE GDP.
With e& enterprise, AWS has launched the UAE Sovereign Launchpad. Endorsed by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, this locally hosted cloud service is aimed at government bodies and regulated sectors such as financial services.
The report’s four priorities are responsible AI adoption on secure cloud infrastructure, rules that support innovation, closing skills gaps and wider access to funding, especially for AI-first startups and SMEs.
Through its AI Nation Afaaq programme, AWS aims to give 30,000 people in the UAE free access to its training.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News UAE, based on image by AWS via its Press Release.
