A survey by GoDaddy reveals a positive outlook on artificial intelligence. The 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Survey polled small firms in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Ninety-six percent of UAE entrepreneurs believe AI will boost profits, whereas 85 percent expect their business to grow in the next three to five years.
Digital transformation is a key focus, with over half aiming to expand online and attract new customers digitally. Forty-one percent want to enhance customer experience through technology.
Respondents feel confident using AI for marketing, planning and finance, with 67 percent seeing benefits for marketing, 53 percent for planning and 43 percent cite financial management.
Integrating AI is a priority due to potential efficiency gains, better customer experiences and competitive edge. However, 38 percent worry about high costs while twenty-four percent cite a lack of skilled staff.
Other barriers include integrating new systems. Costs are the top concern for some yet to adopt AI, the survey said, with 44 percent showing lack of awareness of solutions and 43 percent not understanding benefits.
To assist firms, GoDaddy provides AI tools on its Studio platform and .ai domain names.
“GoDaddy is dedicated to supporting small business owners in their digital journey with the tools and resources to help them save time and grow their business,” Selina Bieber, Vice President for International Markets at GoDaddy said.
“This carefully curated collection is here to assist entrepreneurs in various business tasks including content creation, social media management, and simplification of customer service; enabling them to enhance their online presence,” Bieber added.
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