AI use and enthusiasm for tech in UAE higher than global average, report finds

Country's leading role in sector is reflected in broad public use of AI, with nearly nine in 10 people experiencing its benefits

The vast majority of people surveyed in the UAE say they used AI for 'work, study or personal purposes'. EPA

When it comes to the use of artificial intelligence, as well as literacy, training and optimism over the technology, the UAE is ahead of the global average, a survey has found.

Accounting and consultancy firm KPMG, which collaborated with the University of Melbourne for the analysis that surveyed people from 47 countries, said 89 per cent of respondents in the UAE experienced “the benefits of AI”, while the global average hovered at about 83 per cent.

More strikingly, 97 per cent of UAE respondents said they had recently used AI “for work, study or personal purposes”.

Technology heavyweights such as Microsoft have taken notice of the UAE's push to be a leader in AI adoption. Cody Combs /The National

Matin Jouzdani, who leads KPMG lower Gulf’s data and analytics division, said the enthusiasm for AI should not be mistaken for blind optimism. “Our research reinforces an overwhelming acceptance of AI in the UAE, but there is also strong public support for appropriate AI regulation," he added.

The KPMG study showed that, despite a high rate of AI adoption in the UAE, 84 per cent of those surveyed indicated “they would be more willing to trust AI systems if assured of trustworthy use".

Lei Gao, chief technology officer of Singapore-based AI customer engagement firm SleekFlow, said the poll showed the need to disclose when AI was utilised, along with a steady stream of reliable information about how it was used. “People are comfortable using AI as long as they believe it’s being used responsibly,” he said.

Many of those surveyed in the UAE say they would be 'more willing to trust AI systems if assured of trustworthy use'. Cody Combs / The National

“In customer communication, for example, users trust AI when it behaves predictably and transparently," he added. "If they can’t tell when automation is making a decision, or if it feels inconsistent, that trust starts to erode.”

In an attempt to assure the quality of AI tools and apps, the Dubai government announced the introduction of AI seals to better inform businesses, organisations and people about which AI offerings can be trusted in terms of quality.

The UAE has been pushing to be an AI front-runner as it diversifies its economy away from oil. The country’s affinity for research into the tech has resulted in the establishment of start-ups, partnerships and investments from industry leaders including Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI.

A model of the UAE-US AI campus, displayed at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. Abdulla Al Neyadi / UAE Presidential Court

In 2019, the UAE announced the establishment of a university dedicated to the tech, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. Two years earlier, the Emirates was among the first countries in the world to appoint an AI minister, Omar Al Olama.

The UAE has also teamed up with the US to develop an AI campus, which to include 5GW of capacity for AI data centres, in Abu Dhabi. The country's investments in AI have also led to the creation of language models such as Falcon Arabic, part of an effort to ensure aspects of Arabic culture are not left behind in the AI surge, as many large language models were initially based on English language data.