The UAE has been named a top-tier “AI Contender” among emerging economies in a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), placing it ahead of its Gulf peers and on a trajectory toward global AI Pioneer status.
Unveiled during the Dubai AI Assembly 2025, the report, GCC AI Pulse: Mapping the Region’s Readiness for an AI-Driven Future, places the UAE alongside 31 leading economies in its latest AI Maturity Matrix.
While no GCC nation has yet reached “Pioneer” status, currently held by the US, UK, and China, the UAE is leading regional efforts with a strong foundation in digital infrastructure, governance, and AI investment.
Governance, infrastructure, and ambition set UAE apart
According to Dr. Akram Awad, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, the UAE, already tagged AI Contender, is “poised to be a regional leader” by building on its established AI governance, including the National AI Strategy 2031 and the world’s first Minister of AI, appointed in 2017.
The country now boasts:
- Nearly 7,000 AI specialists
- 700+ AI-related academic publications
- 35 data centres
- The highest public cloud spend per employee in the GCC at $228
The UAE has also exceeded peer-group averages for AI-related investment, thanks in part to initiatives like the $100 billion MGX fund, launched in 2024 to back frontier tech, including AI.
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However, BCG noted that private sector engagement and R&D outputs still need to scale further to match leading AI nations. “Mobilising more private capital and deepening AI talent pools will be key to elevating the UAE to Pioneer status,” said Rami Mourtada, Partner and Director at BCG.
Gulf-wide momentum, but UAE is AI Contender, leads execution
Other GCC countries, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, were classified as “AI Practitioners”, reflecting early-stage integration of AI into policy and infrastructure. Saudi Arabia joined the UAE in the AI Contender tier, with the Kingdom aiming to break into the global top 15 AI economies by 2030.
“The UAE stands out as a beacon of advanced leadership and execution,” said Dr. Lars Littig, Managing Director and Partner at BCG.
“But this moment is also about a broader wave of AI transformation across the Gulf.”
The report recommends further upskilling initiatives, international AI talent acquisition, and academia-industry collaboration to deepen AI maturity and competitiveness across the region.
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