The organisations creating the greatest value from artificial intelligence are not necessarily those spending the most on AI. They are the ones investing most deliberately in the people expected to use it, which can be measured through specific ROI metrics to reassure leadership of tangible benefits.
The established fact is that AI is a boardroom priority across the Middle East. Ambitious initiatives such as the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030 have set the pace of adoption, which is constantly accelerating. But achieving those ambitions will depend as much on investing in technology as developing talent.
Too often, AI investment and talent investment are viewed as separate priorities, or worse, competing ones. In reality, they are inseparable.
Technology is no longer the differentiator
What will separate organisations in the years ahead is not simply the technology, but whether their people have the skills, confidence, and judgment to turn that technology into meaningful business outcomes, inspiring leaders to prioritise workforce growth.
Business leaders have already recognised this challenge. Discussions now revolve around the question: are organisations investing as much in the people behind AI as they are in the technology itself?
Technology alone rarely creates competitive advantage, and the value from AI is not guaranteed for those investing the most in new platforms. Value comes from understanding business use. It comes when employees ask the right questions, interpret outputs, challenge assumptions and apply business context before making decisions.
This is especially true in sectors such as financial services, healthcare, government and critical infrastructure, where trust, accountability and regulatory compliance remain essential. AI can support better decisions, but responsibility for those decisions continues to rest with people.
Take DBS, one of Asia’s leading banks, for example. Three years ago, the Bank started the project to leverage genAI capabilities to ease the challenge of handling about 250,000 customer queries per month. The result was CSO Assistant, an AI-powered tool that transformed customer service. Last week, DBS announced the next generation of its AI virtual assistants, expected to serve more than 10 million customers across Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, handling over 1 million chats every month.
But technology is only part of the story. DBS’s success comes from investing just as heavily in its people through targeted AI literacy, reskilling, and digital transformation programs, which serve as practical models for workforce development.
Today, DBS is frequently recognised as one of the world’s most digitally advanced banks by industry analysts and publications.
The AI race is becoming a talent race
Emerging research also confirms that talent, not technology, is becoming the defining challenge for organisations.
The World Bank has found that nearly one in three online job postings across the MENA region now requires digital skills, with almost a quarter of digital roles seeking AI skills. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum estimates that nearly six in ten workers globally will require reskilling by 2030 as AI reshapes the workplace.
These trends are pushing organisations to rethink workforce development, despite potential barriers like budget constraints or talent scarcity. Leaders need to understand AI’s opportunities, manage these challenges, and foster skills across the business to stay competitive.
Continuous learning has become an investment in business resilience, encouraging leaders to see workforce development as a vital ongoing effort.
Human ingenuity becomes core differentiator
The strongest AI strategies combine advanced technology with skilled people, strong governance and a culture that encourages responsible innovation, building confidence in the organisation’s ethical approach.
This balance is becoming crucial as AI moves into core business operations. Success can’t be measured by how many AI tools an organisation has adopted. The value lies in how effectively those tools improve decisions, increase productivity, and support better outcomes for customers and employees.
The organisations that lead the next decade will be the ones that recognise a simple truth: AI is a tool to augment human ingenuity.
With all this in mind, the next board discussion should perhaps ask a different question. Not ‘How much are we investing in AI?’ but ‘How much are we investing in the people who will determine whether AI succeeds?
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