Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Enmaeya News) — The United Arab Emirates ranks first in the Arab world in artificial intelligence readiness, according to Coursera’s 2025 Global Skills Report.
The online learning platform released a new AI Maturity Index that measures how prepared countries are to adopt and scale AI technologies. The UAE’s strong performance was supported by recent developments, including the launch of a UAE-U.S. AI campus and the introduction of mandatory AI classes in schools starting at age four.
“The UAE is rapidly scaling AI learning and infrastructure to drive workforce transformation and regional innovation,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s general manager for the Middle East and North Africa.
The AI campus announcement came during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE in May. The facility is expected to generate 5 gigawatts of AI capacity and strengthen collaboration between the two countries in technology and education.
Coursera ranked the UAE 32nd globally out of 109 countries on the AI Maturity Index. Saudi Arabia followed at 37th and Qatar at 45th.
Zribi said the UAE's efforts show a clear focus on closing skill gaps and preparing future talent. “Its strong performance on Coursera’s AI Maturity Index, combined with high rankings in overall skills proficiency, demonstrates the country’s growing ability to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and lead in AI readiness,” he said.
The AI Maturity Index draws from Coursera platform data as well as third-party sources like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Over the past decade, the UAE — the Arab world’s second-largest economy — has worked to become a global AI leader as part of its economic diversification strategy.
The country has attracted investments from major tech companies including Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI. It has also invested in Arabic-language AI tools, such as the Falcon Arabic language model, to ensure Arabic culture is represented in the AI space, which has often been dominated by English-based models.
In 2017, the UAE became one of the first countries to appoint an AI minister, Omar Al Olama. Two years later, it launched the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the world’s first graduate-level AI university.
