- Research establishes the UAE as a regional benchmark for responsible AI adoption, with 97% respondents reporting using AI for work, study or for personal purposes
- 53% believe benefits of AI outweigh the risks but 57% think AI regulation is needed to make AI use feel safe
- 84% said they would be more willing to trust AI systems if assured of trustworthy use
Dubai, 9th October 2025: The UAE is marching ahead of many other countries in AI training and literacy, with a vast majority of UAE respondents experiencing the benefits of AI more so than other countries – 89% versus the global average of 83%. An overwhelming majority (97%) of UAE respondents used AI for work, study, or personal purposes, and 66% said their organization had a policy on GenAI use in place, highlighting the rising acceptance of AI across the UAE.
These findings were revealed in KPMG’s Trust in Artificial Intelligence Insights report, a first country-level review focused exclusively on attitudes toward AI, conducted by the University of Melbourne in collaboration with KPMG International. The review underscored the UAE as a regional benchmark for responsible AI adoption. The study found that 65% of UAE respondents would be willing to rely on information provided by an AI system, and more than half (53%) were confident that the benefits of AI outweighed the risks.
While sentiment around AI adoption remains positive in the UAE, KPMG’s research also highlights a growing public awareness of the need for continued regulatory evolution. 68% of UAE respondents said that current regulations are sufficient to ensure safe AI use, which is significantly higher than the global average of 43%. Still, many expressed a desire for stronger safeguards, particularly around AI-generated misinformation. About 73% of respondents said they felt cautious about online content due to the potential use of AI, and 36% were unsure of their ability to identify AI-generated misinformation.
Matin Jouzdani, Partner, Data, Analytics and AI, KPMG Lower Gulf, said: “AI is rapidly changing the way we live and work. Our research reinforces an overwhelming acceptance of AI in the UAE, but there is also strong public support for appropriate AI regulation. As organizations in the UAE are rapidly deploying AI, it is imperative that they consider the structures necessary to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical oversight. By implementing a strategy that combines AI training and literacy alongside responsible AI governance frameworks, organizations will be able to confidently capture the benefits of AI in a way that doesn’t slow down innovation.”
Amid rising AI-generated misinformation threatening trust in public institutions, 84% of UAE respondents said they would be more willing to trust AI systems if assured of their trustworthy use. Furthermore, 86% agreed that news and social media companies need to ensure people can detect when content is AI-generated.
To improve the benefits of AI in their daily life and at work, UAE residents expect co-regulation, with government oversight and international laws. On a positive note, respondents expressed confidence in most entities to use AI, with universities, healthcare institutions, and the government among the most trusted to develop and use AI in the UAE.
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