ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the workplace in the UAE, with 78% of knowledge workers using AI daily or weekly and 57% using AI agents, a survey by HP has found.
A total of 300 knowledge workers in the UAE were surveyed as part of HP’s global fourth annual Work Relationship Index, a global study examining people’s relationship with work.
The UAE recorded stronger workplace health than the worldwide average, with 45% of knowledge workers reporting a healthy relationship with work, compared with 29% globally.
“There is a lot to be encouraged by in the UAE findings, from stronger workplace health than the worldwide average to high AI adoption and growing use of AI agents,” said Peter Oganesean, Managing Director for the Middle East and East Africa at HP.
“The findings reflect a workforce that is open to new ways of working and focused on building skills for the future,” he added.
AI adoption among UAE knowledge workers was also higher than the global level. While 78% used AI at work daily or weekly, the corresponding worldwide figure was 59%. AI agents were used by 57% of UAE respondents, compared with 43% globally.
Forty percent of UAE knowledge workers said they turned to AI forst when they needed help with a task or work-related question, compared with 31% worldwide.
The survey also found a connection between access to technology and healthier relationships with work. Among UAE respondents in the index’s Healthy Zone, 92% said their employer provided the tools needed to succeed at work, compared with 34% of those in the Critical Zone.
AI-agent use was reported by 61% of workers in the Healthy Zone, compared with 49% in the Critical Zone.
Seventy-nine percent of those in the Healthy Zone said they had access to a complete set of devices and accessories that worked seamlessly together. This compared with 37% of workers in the Critical Zone.
Faster and more reliable devices were the most commonly identified technology enabler, cited by 57% of UAE respondents. Half said they wanted tools that helped them learn new skills and adapt as they worked.
Other priorities included AI tools tailored to their roles and technology that helped them think more strategically, each cited by 40%. Technology that helped workers prioritise was cited by 38%, while 37% wanted shared knowledge systems that made information easier to find.
Despite reporting a healthier relationship with work than their global peers, UAE workers expressed uncertainty about their careers. Seventy percent said it felt too risky to leave their current jobs, while 67% believed they might need to significantly change or reinvent their careers over the next few years.
Among those who considered themselves expert AI users, 85% expected that they might have to make a significant career pivot, compared with 54% of basic AI users.
More than half of those using AI agents, or 51%, worried that their jobs could be taken by someone with AI expertise. The corresponding figure among those using generative AI alone was 41%.
Workers were preparing for potential change by focusing on skills that could be applied across different roles. Seventy-six percent of UAE knowledge workers prioritised transferable skills over following a traditional career ladder, compared with 56% worldwide.
More than half of UAE respondents, or 54%, had an income-generating side venture, compared with 32% globally. The figure rose to 61% among Generation Z workers in the UAE.
The survey found that investment in employee development was associated with greater confidence about the future. Company investment in skills and development made 82% of Generation Z workers, 87% of millennials and 84% of Generation X respondents feel more secure about their future.
Around three-quarters of respondents in each generation said access to opportunities to upgrade their skills made them less anxious about the effect of AI on their roles.
Sixty percent of UAE knowledge workers said their organisation communicated clearly about how AI and other technologies could affect jobs. At the same time, 30% said there had been discussions about the possible effect of AI on roles or employee numbers.
The survey also found a link between workplace health and business performance. UAE knowledge workers who said their company had performed well over the previous year were three times more likely to report a healthy relationship with work than those employed by companies where growth had remained unchanged.
HP conducted the research between April 15 and May 20, 2026. The global study surveyed 19,506 desk-based workers across 15 countries, including 15,003 knowledge workers, 3,002 information-technology decision-makers and 1,501 business leaders.
A parallel survey covered 2,400 knowledge workers across eight additional markets, including 300 in the UAE. The UAE results were compared with the global findings for knowledge workers.
The index asked respondents to rate how happy they were with their relationship with work on a five-point scale. Those selecting five were placed in the Healthy Zone, those selecting four in the Watch-Out Zone, and those giving a rating of one to three in the Critical Zone