Global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has affirmed that the United Arab Emirates stands out as one of the world’s leading nations in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to its ambitious vision and integrated model that combines research, development, innovation, and practical execution on the ground.
During the Dubai AI Festival, Faisal Hammadi, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, explained that the firm’s latest report on AI in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) provides a comprehensive assessment of regional progress based on multiple dimensions. These include ambition, target domains, ability to deploy applications, and the innovation and research environment.
Hammadi noted that the UAE leads the Middle East and North Africa region in AI ambition and also ranks among the world’s top performers in terms of implementation, reinforcing its status as a rising power in the field. He emphasized that the UAE is not merely adopting AI technologies but is actively developing them through a government-led comprehensive approach. He highlighted initiatives such as Dubai Future Accelerators, which aim to deploy AI across vital sectors.
He also warned of the risks posed by the concentration of AI capabilities in a few global powers, particularly the United States and China, which collectively control 70–80% of the core enablers of AI success; such as ideas, talent, and capital. Hammadi stressed the importance of ensuring fair and equitable global access to AI technologies and called for broader participation from stakeholders to achieve a more inclusive and just AI future.
Regarding infrastructure, Hammadi emphasized the need for accessible public and private cloud platforms that reduce the cost of innovation and model training. He described infrastructure as “the fuel of the AI economy” and underscored the importance of open-source AI models, especially in health, education, and government services, to enable startups and researchers to build upon them and expand their societal impact.