The vast majority of UAE organisations are preparing to integrate artificial intelligence into their operations, with almost all planning to deploy agentic AI systems in the coming year, according to Cisco’s latest AI Readiness Index.
The study, now in its third year, found that 92 per cent of organisations in the UAE intend to introduce AI agents, and 41 per cent expect these to work alongside employees within 12 months. The findings reflect a national shift from strategy to execution as businesses seek measurable value from AI investments.
Cisco said the sense of urgency around delivering returns on AI adoption is increasing, with 86 per cent of respondents noting stronger pressure to show results over the past six months. Three-quarters now rank AI as a top priority within their IT budgets, and 64 per cent report having a defined strategy for implementing AI-powered solutions.
“This year’s survey highlights how organisations in the UAE are moving decisively from intention to action in their AI journeys. It is showing a clear decision among UAE businesses to leverage AI for measurable value,” said Abdelilah Nejjari, Managing Director, Cisco Gulf and Levant.
“We are also witnessing a pivotal transition beyond traditional chatbots to advanced agentic systems that can independently execute complex tasks and drive significant value.”
Agentic agents are advanced forms of artificial intelligence systems designed not just to respond to prompts or automate fixed tasks, but to act autonomously toward achieving defined goals.
Unlike traditional AI models, such as chatbots that operate reactively, agentic agents can plan, reason, make decisions, and execute actions independently, often across multiple systems or applications.
To meet the rising computational demands of AI, 51 per cent of UAE organisations plan to invest in new data centre capacity within the next year. Nearly a quarter have finalised their AI use cases, while 17 per cent have established repeatable processes for innovation.
More than half of organisations are using AI for operational efficiency, such as predictive maintenance, supply chain optimisation, process automation and energy management. As a result, 69 per cent already report gains in profitability, productivity and innovation.
The report also highlights growing attention to cybersecurity, with 54 per cent of UAE firms highly aware of AI-specific threats and 47 per cent using AI to enhance threat detection and response. However, a lack of specialist skills remains a concern, as only 38 per cent believe they have sufficient in-house AI talent.
Follow us on
