The UAE's drive to digitise services and scale up artificial intelligence is transforming job requirements, research shows.
Data from Stanford's 2025 AI Index Report found that increasing numbers of UAE job descriptions include AI skills − such as natural language processing, machine learning and generative AI.
In 2021, the report found that less than one per cent of all job postings demanded AI experience, but three years later this figure had increased to 1.7 per cent − only 0.7 points behind the US, and ahead of countries such as the UK and Australia.
This transformation brought by AI will require more workers, according to a ServiceNow and Pearson forecast.
Researchers claim the UAE will need to add more than one million workers by 2030, with organisations requiring an additional 91,000 technology specialists.
Initially, one of the most commonly advertised AI-related jobs was data scientist, but as the market has evolved this title has fragmented into more specialised roles.
In Michael Page's UAE Salary Guide 2022, only three AI-related roles were listed; by 2026, the number had increased to eight, showing that domain-specific needs − such as product management and generative artificial intelligence − are emerging.
Both general and specialist roles offer starting monthly salaries of about Dh25,000 ($6,800), with rates of Dh75,000 for senior positions, according to the survey.
As AI rapidly changes so many aspects of life, the UAE's Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy Badr Jafar says the world needs to co-ordinate on how the technology is used.
Areas of co-operation could include aligning policy, capital, public trust and social impact. Additionally, Mr Jafar said the UAE aims for responsible deployment of AI that supports jobs and inclusive growth.
