UAE ranks sixth globally for AI readiness, with AI security learning up 243%

The UAE is emerging as one of the world’s leading countries in AI readiness, ranking sixth globally and first in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2026.

The report, which features a new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index, places the UAE ahead of the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, China, and India. The index measures the extent to which learners across 98 countries are developing AI skills alongside the human skills needed to apply them, while accounting for each country’s broader AI readiness.

Germany ranked first on the index, followed by France, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

The UAE’s high ranking comes as AI skills development accelerates across the country, with learners increasingly building both technical and human skills needed to apply the technology.

“The UAE’s position on the Index reflects the strength of its AI ambitions and the commitment of learners to developing both AI and human skills,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s general manager for the Middle East and Africa.

“Skills development must keep pace with investment in AI technology. Employers and educators have an important role in connecting learning to practical experience, helping people apply their skills confidently and responsibly.”

The report found that enrollments in AI courses across the UAE increased by 75% year over year. AI and machine-learning foundations, data, and analytics were among the trending areas.

Interest is also growing in newer areas of AI. Enrollments in generative AI rose 117%, while agentic AI workflow enrollments increased 100%.

AI security saw the biggest increase, with enrollments rising 243%. The shift is not limited to technical skills. UAE learners are also developing skills to evaluate AI outputs and guide how the technology is used at work.

Enrollments in complex problem-solving increased 56% year over year, while critical thinking rose 39% and innovation increased 7%. Communication and presentation, people leadership and management, ethics and governance, and critical thinking and judgment were also among the trending human-skill areas.

The growth in AI learning comes as demand for AI skills increases across the UAE labor market. The share of UAE job postings requiring AI skills rose from 1% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2025, according to PwC’s 2026 AI Jobs Barometer UAE analysis.

Micro-credentials are also becoming more common as workers seek to demonstrate specific skills. Enrollments in micro-credentials in the UAE increased 38% year over year, while AI-related micro-credential enrollments rose 101%, according to Coursera.

The rise in AI skills development comes as adoption of the technology expands across the UAE.

Generative AI adoption reached 64% in the UAE, among the highest rates reported globally, according to Stanford’s 2026 AI Index Report.

The UAE is also building the infrastructure to support that growth. It has approved the establishment of a federal Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority to coordinate AI, data, and digital government initiatives.

On skills development, the government is expanding access to AI training. In 2025, the UAE AI Office launched AI for All, a nationwide program launched by the UAE AI Office in collaboration with Google. The initiative aims to build foundational AI skills and promote responsible use of the technology across different age groups and professional backgrounds.

The government is also expanding access to AI training. In 2025, the UAE AI Office launched a training program, AI for All, aimed at building foundational AI skills and promoting responsible use of the technology across different age groups and professional backgrounds.

Together, these developments reflect a broader push to build AI capabilities alongside adoption, as the UAE looks to equip both institutions and workers with the skills needed to use the technology.