The UAE has emerged as the global frontrunner in artificial intelligence adoption at work, recording the highest daily usage rate of AI tools among employed adults worldwide, a new study from Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab shows.
The research found that 59.4 percent of the UAE’s working-age population uses platforms such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Midjourney on a daily basis in 2025, placing the country ahead of Singapore (58.6 percent), Norway, and Ireland.
Microsoft identified the UAE as part of a select group of “Leaders of Adoption,” countries that not only deploy AI at scale but also influence global standards and innovation. The report highlights that the Emirates has spent years preparing for this moment through its UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which paved the way for widespread AI integration across public services, education, and the private sector.
Microsoft pointed to several factors driving the UAE’s rise, including progressive digital regulations, rapid expansion of cloud infrastructure, major foreign investment, and the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the world’s first graduate-level AI institution. Government-backed training programs and support for emerging tech companies also played a central role.
The UAE’s adoption rate far outpaces other Middle Eastern markets. According to the report, Qatar records a 35.7 percent rate, followed by Saudi Arabia at 23.7 percent, Kuwait at 17.7 percent, and Egypt at 12.5 percent. South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa fall below 10 percent, hindered by limited connectivity and language-related barriers.
To help close the gap, Microsoft recently launched its first AI for Good Lab in the Middle East, located in Abu Dhabi. The facility will work with humanitarian and research partners on projects focused on sustainability, public health, and disaster response.
The report notes that more than 1.2 billion people now use AI worldwide, calling it the fastest-spreading technology in history. Yet few economies have integrated AI as deeply as the UAE, where the technology has already reshaped sectors including finance, transportation, energy, and healthcare. With an AI industry valued at USD 3.47 billion in 2023 and forecast to grow nearly 44 percent annually through 2030, the country’s approach positions artificial intelligence as a central engine of future economic growth.
