Today's Edition
Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)
The UAE has ranked second worldwide in the inaugural Global Wealth AI Optimism Index, emerging as one of the most forward-leaning markets in the adoption of artificial intelligence for investment decision-making.
Within the index, the country topped the rankings for the “momentum” pillar, which measures investors’ intent to replace traditional investment research methods with AI tools over the next 12 months, according to the State of AI for Wealth 2026 report by investment intelligence platform BridgeWise.
Its findings are based on a survey of 2,100 employed adults with active bank accounts across 19 countries, split evenly by gender and spanning ages 18 to 75. Respondents were assessed across four pillars: adoption, confidence, edge and momentum.
The Middle East led globally as a region, dominating both adoption rates and momentum. “This region is effectively the ‘engine’ of current AI growth, showing the highest intent to replace traditional research with AI-driven workflows,” the report said.
Across the UAE, respondents ranked first in momentum, second globally in adoption, and fifth in perceived “edge” and confidence.
Globally, 78.3% of respondents said they already use AI tools in some form for investment research.
Nearly half (45.7%) reported frequent use, while 10.7% said they rely on AI for all investment queries, signalling the emergence of what the report describes as a high-conviction “power user” segment.
Latin America ranked second globally and led in confidence and perceived market edge, while North America lagged in belief that AI provides a competitive advantage despite strong technological infrastructure.
Europe ranked last across most categories, reflecting a more cautious approach shaped by regulatory constraints and risk concerns.
At the country level, Saudi Arabia topped the index, followed by the UAE, with Brazil, the Philippines and China completing the top five.
BridgeWise noted that while scepticism toward AI remains, it is increasingly concentrated among a shrinking minority of non-users.
Around 29% of non-users still reported trusting AI’s accuracy, suggesting a significant “untapped believer” segment that could convert with improved access and tools.
The report also found that trust in AI is rising sharply among frequent users, with 78% reporting increased confidence over the past year compared with just 11.2% of non-users.
