The United Arab Emirates has further consolidated its international standing as one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence hubs, with new figures underscoring its rapid progress and advanced adoption of emerging technologies.
A recent study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) classified 42 per cent of UAE-based organisations as “AI Leaders”, highlighting the country’s strong alignment with global peers and its exceptional advancement in deploying advanced technologies.
The report, titled “Unleashing the Potential: How GCC Organisations Can Turn AI Momentum into Sustainable Value at Scale”, was based on a survey of 200 senior executives and an assessment of 41 digital capabilities across seven sectors. It found that 37 per cent of UAE organisations have already reached the “scaling” stage of digital maturity — signalling a decisive shift from limited pilot projects to full-scale implementation.
With an average maturity score of 46 points, the UAE leads the regional landscape, while only 13 per cent of organisations were classified as lagging behind, reflecting a relatively low rate of slow adopters compared to other markets.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Lars Littig, Managing Director and Partner, and Head of Technology and Digital Advantage for the Middle East at BCG, stated that the UAE’s notable progress as a mature market — and the high proportion of its organisations categorised as leaders — directly reflects the strength of strategic infrastructure investments and the country’s firm commitment to its National AI Strategy 2031.
He added that the higher returns achieved by GCC organisations, including those in the UAE, demonstrate that substantial public- and private-sector investments are successfully translating into measurable value. This is clearly evident in financial performance indicators: organisations classified as “AI Leaders” in the GCC generate 1.7 times higher total shareholder returns and 1.5 times higher operating profit margins compared to slower adopters.
At the regional level, the study showed that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have significantly narrowed the AI adoption gap with global markets. Around 39 per cent of organisations across the region are now categorised as leaders, closely aligned with the global average of 40 per cent.
The findings also revealed exceptional performance by GCC government entities, which achieved the highest levels of AI maturity globally among all markets included in the study. This reflects a fundamental transformation in how regional institutions approach technology adoption.
Looking ahead, the report pointed to strong future momentum, noting that 38 per cent of GCC organisations have already begun testing advanced “AI agents” applications — further reinforcing the region’s ambition to remain at the forefront of digital transformation and responsible artificial intelligence deployment.
