More Than 9 Out Of 10 UAE And GCC Employees Use AI, Says Report

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday work for employees across the Gulf, with 93 per cent of frontline workers in the GCC using AI at least several times a week, putting the region ahead of the global average, according to a new Boston Consulting Group report.

AI use is even higher among managers and leaders at 95 per cent, according to BCG X's fourth annual AI at Work report, which includes data from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.

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The figures put the GCC alongside India as a global leader in workplace AI integration. Globally, AI adoption among frontline employees stands at 74 per cent

But employees are not just using AI more often many say it is saving them significant amounts of time.

Around 58 per cent of frontline employees in the GCC said AI saves them at least eight hours a week, equivalent to a full working day, while the figure rises to 67 per cent among managers and leaders.

AI changing the skills needed at work

The rapid adoption of AI is also changing what companies expect from their employees.

Around 85 per cent of frontline employees and 92 per cent of managers and leaders in the GCC said AI has changed the skills expected of them in their roles.

Robert Xu, Managing Director and Partner at BCG X, said the GCC workforce has moved beyond simply experimenting with AI towards integrating it into everyday work.

He said the organizations seeing the strongest results are not only deploying AI tools but also investing in their employees' ability to use them effectively.

Could AI do half your job?

The report also provides a glimpse of how workers expect their jobs to change over the next three years.

Some 60 per cent of GCC frontline employees believe AI agents could perform at least half of their current job responsibilities within three years.

Among managers and leaders, that rises to 66 per cent.

Despite those expectations, concern about losing jobs to AI remains relatively contained. Only 28 per cent of frontline employees and 29% of managers and leaders said they fear losing their positions to the technology.

More employees say AI makes work enjoyable

AI adoption is also being linked to workplace satisfaction.

Around 69 per cent of GCC frontline employees said they experienced increased joy at work since adopting AI, rising to 77 per cent among managers and leaders.

BCG said organizations generating the most business value from AI also tend to be those where employees report greater workplace fulfilment.

However, the consultancy cautioned that high adoption alone will not guarantee business benefits.

Globally, 42 per cent of frontline employees who regularly use AI save at least a full working day each week, but 66 per cent receive limited or no guidance on how they should use the time they save.

Rami Mourtada, Partner and Director at BCG, said organizations need clear leadership, governance and operating models to turn individual productivity improvements into wider business gains.

BCG's report found training remains a challenge globally. Only 36 per cent of respondents said they had received sufficient preparation, despite 72 per cent of regular AI users saying the skills expected of them have changed significantly

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