AI Adoption Surges Across Middle East Workforce As Employees Embrace Tech-Driven Future

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

As the Middle East races ahead in workplace adoption of emerging technologies, 75 per cent of employees in the region have used AI tools in their roles over the past year - outpacing the global average of 69 per cent, a recent report showed.

According to PwC's Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025, AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a daily reality for a rapidly expanding share of workers. Employees across the region report not just higher usage rates, but also stronger productivity gains, improved creativity and growing confidence in navigating technological change. This momentum is being fuelled by ambitious national digital agendas, widespread investment in skills, and a culture increasingly supportive of experimentation and innovation.

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The report shows that nearly eight in ten Middle East employees say AI has improved their productivity, significantly above their global peers. Workers also report higher‐quality output (87 per cent) and greater creativity (84 per cent), reflecting a shift in sentiment that paints AI as an enabler rather than a threat.

This optimism stands in contrast with lingering global anxieties about AI's impact on jobs. A striking 61 per cent of Middle East office workers say they feel excited about AI's impact, compared with 47 per cent globally, supported by clear government strategies such as the UAE's National Strategy for AI 2031 and Saudi Arabia's National Strategy for Data & AI.

Millennials and Gen Z employees are emerging as the region's most enthusiastic adopters of AI, using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT more frequently than older colleagues. Their comfort with automation and analytics puts them in a strong position to adapt to fast‐changing entry‐level roles - though senior executives remain divided on whether such roles will expand or shrink.

Randa Bahsoun, Partner, PwC Middle East, said:“As employees confidently embrace change, build new capabilities and show remarkable adaptability with AI, they also want to feel secure and supported. Organisations that provide clarity on how roles will evolve, expand access to learning and protect wellbeing will be the ones that retain talent and get ahead in a fast-changing labour market.

The report highlights this generational divide: 43 per cent of senior leaders believe AI will reduce entry‐level roles, even as 34 per cent expect them to grow, creating uncertainty that organisations will need to clarify as AI reshapes career paths.

A skills-first future takes shape

With AI‐driven transformation accelerating, employees are responding by prioritising upskilling. Nearly 69 per cent of regional employees learned new skills in the past year, far above the global average. And 81 per cent now prefer jobs that offer opportunities to build transferable skills - an indication that learning is becoming a core career expectation. Companies are beginning to support this shift: 63 per cent of Middle East employees say their managers help them build new capabilities, and 68 per cent report having access to the learning resources they need.

Despite high motivation and strong trust in leadership, the survey reveals a workforce under pressure. Almost half (45 per cent) report feeling fatigued, and 48 per cent feel overwhelmed - effects of rising workloads seen over recent years. Job security, meanwhile, is becoming a top priority for 82 per cent of employees as economic uncertainty reshapes career decisions.

The report portrays a workforce that is ambitious, optimistic and increasingly tech‐savvy - but one that needs continued clarity and support as AI becomes more deeply embedded in daily work. Organisations that pair transparency with upskilling and wellbeing, the report suggests, will be best positioned to sustain the Middle East's accelerating AI momentum.

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