Stories › Workforce › UAE still leads Microsoft’s AI adoption ranking, now at 73.3% Image: The Official Microsoft Blog First reported 7 May 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026 · 11 sources · 4 countries
UAE still leads Microsoft’s AI adoption ranking, now at 73.3% Several outlets reported in October 2026 that the UAE leads the world in AI adoption at 70.1%. That’s Microsoft’s figure for the first quarter of 2026. Microsoft’s newer report, published on 21 September, puts the UAE at 73.3% of its working-age population in the second quarter, still first in the world. Both numbers measure how many people have used a generative AI tool, not how deeply they use it.
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Microsoft reported on 21 September that 73.3% of the UAE’s working-age population used a generative AI product in Q2 2026, ahead of Singapore at 64.3%. The worldwide figure was 18.8%. Microsoft measures AI diffusion as the share of people aged 15 to 64 who used a generative AI product during the period. That measures reach, not how often or how well people use it. The 70.1% Q1 figure was first reported in May by The National, Gulf News and Khaleej Times. Gulf News and Zawya, carrying WAM’s report, repeated it in October and described the UAE as the first economy above 70%. Tbreak pointed out that the 70.1% in October coverage is the Q1 figure, and that the Q2 report shows a further rise of 3.2 points. Microsoft said the gap between the Global North and South kept widening, with usage at 28.8% and 16.2% respectively. Microsoft reported that Saudi Arabia climbed five places, from 30th to 25th, the largest rise in the rankings. Tbreak noted that the ranking shows widespread use, not that employees have the training or permission to use AI safely at work. HR Executive, People Matters and ETHRWorld covered the ranking for HR readers. What it adds up to
A ranking that says most of the UAE’s working-age population has used AI tells you the tools are familiar. It doesn’t tell you whether people use them well. If you’re part of that 73%, the useful next question is what you use AI for at work and whether your employer knows. This week, list the AI tools you used at work in the past month and what you used each one for. Then check whether your workplace has guidance on them, and ask for it if it doesn’t.
11 sources Grouped by who reported it, newest first in each group
All 11 Local press 6 International 4 Company PR 1
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