The UAE is positioned as one of the leading emerging global economies in terms of artificial intelligence (AI) readiness, according to a recent report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), unveiled at the Dubai AI Assembly during Dubai AI Week.

The report—GCC AI Pulse: Mapping the Region’s Readiness for an AI-Driven Future—uses BCG’s 2024 AI Maturity Matrix, which classifies nations into four categories: AI Emergents, Practitioners, Contenders, and Pioneers.

The UAE falls into the “AI Contender” group, alongside 31 other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Gulf Business reports.

Other Gulf countries, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, are categorised as AI Practitioners in the report.

Although no GCC nation has attained the “AI Pioneer” status, reserved for global leaders like the US, UK, and China, the study emphasises the region’s strong potential to progress further in AI development.

“The UAE is poised to be a regional leader among global AI Pioneers by capitalising on its established digital infrastructure and formulating strategic initiatives that support AI integration into its economic visions,” stated Dr Akram Awad, MD and partner at BCG.

The UAE has become a trailblazer in AI governance, emerging as the first country to launch a National AI Strategy back in 2017 and appointing the world’s first Minister of AI.

According to Boston Consulting Group, the UAE is already aligning with global AI leaders through strong policy frameworks and advanced infrastructure.

The nation is home to 35 data centres and leads the GCC in public cloud spending per employee, with an average of $228.

The UAE is also home to nearly 7,000 AI specialists and has produced around 700 AI-related academic publications. However, BCG notes that to reach the coveted “AI Pioneer” status, the country must further grow its local talent base and enhance its global standing in innovation.

The report also highlights strong private-sector investment in the UAE, which surpasses the average among its AI Contender peers. A key example is the $100 billion MGX fund, which underscores the nation’s bold ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence.

“Advancing private sector engagement and investment, improving R&D outcomes to global innovation levels, and expanding the homegrown AI talent pool will further solidify the UAE’s position as a global AI leader,” according to Rami Mourtada, partner and director at BCG.