For decades, workplaces across the Middle East operated on a familiar rhythm: slide decks, ritualized reporting, long approval chains, and meeting-heavy cultures. As automation absorbs administrative tasks, analysis, and reporting that once consumed entire workdays, leaders across the region are being confronted with a truth that was previously easy to ignore: a significant portion of what filled the working day was never truly “work.”

AI’s ability to synthesize data, generate reports, and reconcile information within seconds is exposing which tasks were genuinely valuable, and which were simply remnants of older working cultures. 

David Boast, General Manager for UAE & KSA at Endava, notes that the clearest illusions are appearing in manual reporting, administrative approval chains, duplicated processes, and “meetings about meetings.” He argues that time spent is no longer a proxy for value because AI is revealing, with uncomfortable clarity, “which tasks were value-adding and which were legacy theater.”

This is prompting companies in the region to confront the distinction between low-value activities and progress. Boast points out that AI accelerates genuinely strategic outputs, such as customer insights, data-led decisions, and cross-functional responsiveness, making everything else suddenly feel archaic.  

THE END OF PRESENTEEISM

As AI clears operational clutter, intentions behind where and how people work are shifting. This is becoming increasingly evident in coworking ecosystems, which now serve as barometers of work behavior across the region. 

Hamza Khan, co-founder of Letswork, says the rise of automation is directly reshaping how members use physical workspaces. “The work taking place across our locations has become far more intentional.”

Instead of escaping household distractions or seeking a desk-for-a-day, employees now show up with purpose. Deep focus work is among the most common reasons members choose these spaces. He says there’s a noticeable increase in strategy sprints, creative production, early-stage planning, and problem-solving sessions, forms of work that rely on cognition, collaboration, and concentration rather than administration

A new rhythm is emerging, Khan adds. Hybrid teams plan deliberate collaboration days, and individuals come in when they need uninterrupted time. “Coworking was once defined by convenience; today, it is defined by intent.” Even side ventures are expanding as AI lowers the barrier to entrepreneurship and allows people to redirect time previously lost to routine tasks.

MOVING FROM DOING TO DECIDING

Jen Blandos, founder of Female Fusion, says AI is forcing entrepreneurs to confront how much time is being spent on tasks that never drove growth. She has seen administrative tasks “collapse” as drafting, organizing, and reporting work that once required hours now takes minutes.

This uncluttering has a revealing effect: bottlenecks surface rapidly. Founders are exposed to workflow gaps, overcomplicated processes, or pricing inconsistencies that manual work previously masked. Decision-making is accelerating because, as Blandos explains, AI is offering “faster analysis and clearer options,” enabling entrepreneurs to act decisively instead of spending weeks researching.

She sees AI leveling the playing field for women-led SMEs, often lean by necessity, as one founder can now operate at the output of multiple roles. But she cautions that this advantage only materializes with discipline: “AI amplifies whatever is already there. If the business lacks strategy or systems, AI won’t fix it.”

The mindset shift she believes the region now needs is stark: “Being busy is not the same as being effective.” She encourages founders to “move from doing to deciding” and use AI to create space for high-value work rather than filling their day with new distractions.

HUMANS CHANGE ROLES, NOT RELEVANCE

AI’s growing autonomy is reshaping the role humans play inside organizations. At Endava, this transition is captured in the idea of agentic delivery, where AI agents coordinate execution while humans oversee governance, judgment, and ethical alignment. 

Boast says human-centred technology “has never been about doing more; it’s always been about doing what matters.” As AI evolves from assistant to agent, he argues that the most human contribution now lies in setting boundaries and stepping in when the loop needs a conscience.

This shift demands new delivery models. Boast warns that forcing AI into legacy structures will only produce waste and “sub-standard outcomes.”

THE SHIFT TO OUTCOME-BASED WORK

As organizations leverage AI to achieve specific goals, governments in the region are supporting this shift with structural policies. For example, Sharjah’s implementation of a four-day work week has resulted in nearly a 90% increase in job satisfaction and productivity. This demonstrates, Boast says, that reduced working hours do not negatively impact performance when output-based systems are used. 

Similarly, Dubai’s Government Human Resources Department has institutionalized flexible and remote work arrangements, particularly during Ramadan. A government-backed study, which shows that flexible hours could reduce peak morning traffic in Dubai by up to 30%, highlights that productivity reform has societal benefits extending well beyond individual well-being.

The region is ready for the transition, says Boast. “The appetite is there, and the pressure is real.” However, he stresses that readiness isn’t merely about adopting tools; it requires mindset shifts, robust governance, and a willingness to rely on trusted data with human-in-the-loop oversight.

THE POST-ILLUSION WORKPLACE

AI is transforming traditional definitions of productivity and driving a significant change in how the Middle East perceives work. It highlights unproductive routines, reduces administrative clutter, and clearly distinguishes between activity and actual contribution.

At the same time, it is elevating deep work, creativity, rapid decision-making, cross-functional problem solving, and human judgment, the elements that AI cannot replicate.

Whether in coworking spaces filled with intentional activity, small businesses reallocating time to growth, enterprises rethinking roles through agentic delivery, or governments redefining productivity, a new regional model is emerging