UAE pulls ahead in global ranking on AI adoption

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, according to the latest report from Microsoft's AI Economy Institute. Microsoft measures AI diffusion based on the percentage of individuals aged 15 to 64 who have utilized a generative AI product or app during the reporting period.

The UAE's AI adoption has skyrocketed, climbing from 59.4% in the first half of 2025 to 64% in the second half of 2025 and reaching an impressive 70.1% in early 2026. This remarkable progress places the UAE at more than four times the global average of 17.8%. Globally, AI adoption has seen a slight increase from 16.3% to 17.8% during the first quarter of 2026.

Singapore holds the second position in AI adoption, with a 5.7 percentage point rise since the first half of 2025. However, the UAE's growth has been more than twice as rapid, increasing by 13.9 percentage points over the same period, reaching 73.3% adoption. Much of the UAE's lead can be attributed to a concerted effort to move AI beyond experimental phases and into daily use across various sectors, including government, workplaces, and schools.

Experts in AI policy have highlighted that early adoption has positioned the UAE at the forefront of the digital race.

The UAE's ambitious strategy includes setting a target to deliver half of federal government services using AI agents within two years. This initiative is accompanied by plans to train 80,000 federal employees, ranging from ministers and senior executives to new recruits, in agentic AI. Currently, 35,000 government employees in Abu Dhabi have gained access to Microsoft Copilot, and the broader strategy is increasingly focused on embedding AI into the tools employees use daily.

This push is also beginning at a younger age, with AI now being taught in UAE government schools from kindergarten to grade 12, encompassing topics such as data, algorithms, applications, risks, and ethics. The government has approved an AI curriculum for public and private schools and aims to train 22,000 teachers and educators to utilize AI in teaching, assessment, and lesson planning.