AI in the Middle East: Success Stories and Influencers Lighting the Way
Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just buzzing in Silicon Valley—it’s roaring across the Middle East, reshaping industries and lives from Dubai to Riyadh. At Innovationlabs, we recognize AI’s rise in the region as a significant development. This article provides an in-depth look at the Middle East’s AI success stories, the influencers driving this growth, and the supporting statistics.
The Middle East’s AI Boom: By the Numbers
The Middle East is heavily investing in AI, backed by compelling statistics. PwC projects AI’s potential economic contribution to reach $320 billion by 2030—13.6% of the region’s GDP—surpassing North America’s projected 10.4%. The UAE could see $96 billion of this impact, with Saudi Arabia at $135.2 billion (PwC, 2018). This investment is fueled by substantial government funding: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 allocates $20 billion for AI through its sovereign fund, while Qatar invests $2.5 billion in tech innovation (Forbes, 2024). High tech adoption rates amplify this push—70% of the UAE’s population is online (DataReportal, 2025), and Saudi Arabia boasts 29.5 million social media users, a 73% penetration rate (Campaign ME, 2023), creating a fertile ground for AI-driven outreach.
Success Stories: AI Wins, Quantified
AI is delivering tangible results across the region:
Adnoc’s EnergyAI (UAE): Through AIQ, a G42-Presight joint venture, Abu Dhabi’s oil giant secured a $340 million deal in 2024. EnergyAI’s “agentic AI”—autonomous AI agents making decisions—reduces drilling decision times by 30% and emissions by 15% across 200+ rigs (G42, 2024).
Presight’s Smart Cities (UAE & Beyond): G42’s Presight, leveraging AI analytics, reduced traffic delays by 25% across 20 cities in Albania in 2024 and now impacts 1.2 million daily commuters in Abu Dhabi (Presight, 2024).
Saudi’s NEOM Megacity: This $500 billion project uses AI for autonomous shuttles (50% cost reduction over traditional transport) and energy grids (20% power savings). AI drives 80% of planning for over 10,000 on-site workers (Bloomberg, 2025).
Tabby’s E-Commerce Leap (UAE & Saudi): Since 2019, Tabby’s AI has powered 55% of Saudi’s online “buy now, pay later” transactions, reaching 1.5 million users by 2024 and boosting revenue by 40% through personalized offers (Tabby, 2024).
Influencers: The Voices and Reach
Key figures driving AI adoption include:
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber (UAE): As UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and head of MBZUAI, he has over 400,000 LinkedIn followers. Since 2020, MBZUAI’s AI graduates have increased by 150% (MBZUAI, 2024). His 2024 graduation speech garnered 50,000 views.
Huda Kattan (UAE): With over 50 million Instagram followers, Huda Beauty uses AI for customer targeting, generating over 2 million likes monthly (Instagram, 2025).
Stefan Srnic (Middle East): Kearney’s AI expert, Srnic analyzes AI investments on X, where his posts average 5,000 impressions across 10,000+ followers (X, 2025).
Omar Samra (Egypt): This adventurer’s travel company, Wild Guanabana, employs AI for logistics; his Instagram posts average 20,000 likes across 100,000+ followers (Instagram, 2025).
Ayman Elsherbiny (Egypt): With 400,000 LinkedIn followers, Elsherbiny’s Influence Me reduces logistics waste by 15% using AI, with posts averaging 10,000 engagements (LinkedIn, 2025).
Their combined reach spans millions, growing 10-15% annually (Favikon, 2024).
The Talent Squeeze: Hard Stats
A talent shortage poses a significant challenge. Dell’s 2024 survey indicates 67% of UAE firms struggle to find AI professionals, up from 60% in 2022. Saudi Arabia produces 300,000 STEM graduates annually, yet only 5% specialize in AI (UNESCO, 2024). MBZUAI’s 2024 output of 500 graduates helps, but G42 and Aramco attract 70% of regional PhDs with salaries exceeding $100,000 (Science, 2024). Expats fill 20% of UAE tech jobs (Gulf News, 2025), yet the gap persists.
Why It’s Your Wake-Up Call
AI already adds $15 billion annually to the UAE’s GDP (Oxford Economics, 2024), and Saudi Arabia’s 29.5 million social media users offer a prime target for AI-driven campaigns (Campaign ME, 2023). This signals a substantial growth opportunity for businesses and individuals alike.
What’s Next?
By 2030, AI’s projected $320 billion contribution will span oil (40% of the total), retail, urban development, and healthcare (PwC, 2018). The Middle East is poised to lead this technological charge.
Stay in the Know
InnovationLabs delivers personalized AI solutions —learn more at www.innovlabs-ae.com.
Disclosure: This article is based on publicly available data and expert analysis, with no direct financial relationships to the mentioned companies or individuals.