UAE Workforce Report 2026
What Employees in UAE Want in the Age of AI: the excitement, the anxiety, and how ready organizations really are
76% of employees in UAE say they are excited about how AI will change their work, compared with 65% globally, and 72% say they have more opportunities to innovate than they did a year ago.
That momentum comes with pressure. 70% say their workload has grown significantly in the past two years.
The pace of change is also reshaping roles, expectations and what people want from their employers. Drawing on the views of 500 professionals in UAE, this report shows where the workforce stands today and what leaders can do next.
Inside the report
- Organizational AI fluency: how ready organizations in UAE are to use AI at scale, from leadership understanding to training and performance reviews.
- AI sentiment: excitement and anxiety: why optimism about AI sits alongside a steady undercurrent of concern, and how these views differ across career levels.
- AI at work and evolving roles: how AI is changing day-to-day work, the tasks people are expected to take on, and how roles are being redesigned.
- Attraction and retention: what UAE professionals look for in an employer today, and what makes them stay.
- Employee wellbeing: the effect of rising workloads and rapid change on people, and the support that makes the difference.
- Career development: how employees see their growth, their skills and their future in an AI-enabled workplace.
Download the report to explore more.
