The United Arab Emirates has been identified as a major global centre for artificial intelligence (AI), according to the AI Index Report 2026 released by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence (HAI).
The report states that the UAE is among the top-performing countries in institutional backing for AI strategy, awareness, and governance, with strong results across global measures of skills, employment, adoption, and talent development.
It also found that the UAE records AI adoption levels that surpass expectations based on its GDP per capita, alongside Singapore, and is consistently ranked among global leaders in AI capability.
In addition, the report noted that over 80% of employees in the UAE regularly use artificial intelligence at work, reflecting strong levels of trust in the technology. It also highlighted that the country is among the fastest-growing globally in AI engineering skills, with gains in technical expertise outpacing broader awareness of AI, Gulf News reports.
In terms of talent and workforce development, AI talent concentration in the UAE more than doubled between 2019 and 2025. The country also ranked highly for net talent inflow, at around 4.40 per 10,000 LinkedIn members.
Moreover, the report also found that AI-related job postings made up about 2.87% of all vacancies in 2025, positioning the UAE among global leaders in demand for AI talent.
It further highlighted the country’s strong focus on embedding AI in education through its National AI Strategy 2031. As part of this effort, AI has been made a compulsory subject across all school levels starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, covering core areas such as data, algorithms, innovation, and ethics.
At the research level, the report praised Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute for its role as a leading global hub for advanced technology research, especially in applied AI through its Falcon models.
It concluded that the UAE continues to exceed expectations in AI adoption and maintains a strong global footprint, further solidifying its standing as a key international centre for artificial intelligence.