// INDUSTRY INSIGHT //
AI ADOPTION CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Business Experts MEA is a Microsoft Solutions Partner in the UAE, which is consistently ranked highly in the SMB sector for delivering tailored cloud, cybersecurity and AI-driven solutions for regional businesses. In this feature, Tasneem Najmuddin, Vice President – Digital at Business Experts MEA, explores AI adoption challenges and opportunities in the Middle East.
rtificial Intelligence has moved
A from experimentation to the centre of economic strategy across the Middle East. In boardrooms and ministries, leaders now talk about copilots, data platforms and AI skills with the same urgency once reserved for oil prices and infrastructure projects. What’ s unfolding is not just a technology upgrade, but a structural shift in how value is created – across government services, energy, finance, logistics and the creative economy.
Let’ s understand the current landscape
The region is experiencing consistent growth, without a doubt. Policymakers in the Middle East, including countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have framed AI as a pillar of national competitiveness, backing that intent with focused strategies. The UAE’ s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 positions the country to be among the world’ s leaders in AI adoption, with objectives that include deploying AI across government services and building a fertile ecosystem for start-ups and investors.
Saudi Arabia’ s data and AI efforts are organised under SDAIA and aligned with Vision 2030, emphasising sectoral transformation and national capability building. Beyond strategy documents, implementation is accelerating – from government readiness indices to education reforms that weave AI into the curriculum for millions of students, signalling a pipeline of future-ready talent.
PwC estimates AI could add around US $ 320 billion to Middle Eastern economies by 2030 – roughly 2 % of the global AI dividend, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE expected to capture a disproportionate share of gains.
On the enterprise front, a Microsoft-sponsored IDC study reported rapid growth in Generative AI usage – rising from 55 % in 2023 to 75 % in 2024 among surveyed businesses – reflecting a broadening shift from pilot projects to operational integration. Microsoft’ s 2024 Work Trend Index in the region points to strong employee appetite for AI and a mandate for leaders to channel enthusiasm into productivity and measurable outcomes.
Middle East is uniquely well placed to scale AI
The Middle East’ s AI adoption is being driven by a combination of vision-led governance. Clear national strategies, such as the UAE’ s AI integration across service delivery and industry priorities and Saudi Arabia’ s positioning of AI as a key enabler within Vision 2030 sectors, reduce uncertainty and attract investment. At the same time, the region is building its own AI ecosystem through research institutions like MBZUAI, demonstrating a commitment to developing foundational technology rather than merely importing it. Complementing this is the depth of high-impact sectors. AI applications like
Tasneem Najmuddin, Vice President – Digital, Business Experts MEA
Intelligent SME. tech
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