More Than Half of UAE Employees Would Prefer to Work with an AI Colleague Than a Human

A new report from Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm and a business of Marsh McLennan, provides insight into the extent to which generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming companies and communities across the GCC.

The research, released ahead of The World Government Summit in Dubai on 12-14 February 2024, reveals that while the use of AI is surging amongst UAE employees, employers need to make greater efforts to train and engage employees about its use. ‘Artificial Intelligence and The Next Frontiers’ is one of six key themes of The World Government Summit, reflecting growing awareness and concern around the area.

While the report demonstrates that the UAE is among the leading countries in the world for deploying generative AI, it also flags up some of the challenges this pioneering role is creating. In total, 74% of UAE employees say that use AI in the workplace every week, while 91% would like their employer to offer training in the use of AI tools in the workplace. In contrast, 84% of UAE employees currently receive training in AI, which is above the global average of 64% for the 16 countries covered by the report, but still shows significant room for improvement.

According to Jad Haddad, Head of Digital IMEA, Oliver Wyman: “With the UAE taking a leadership position in AI, it is vital for employers to keep pace with the technology and understand exactly how it impacts their company, and how to best integrate it into their processes and practices. This research underscores the readiness of employees to utilize AI, while also alerting employers of the need to take control of the situation to ensure AI works for their organization, and by extension for employees, customers, and for society as a whole.”

The potential repercussions of employees using AI without the right training are serious, particularly in terms of security. Indeed, 94% of UAE employees who are using AI say that they may have exposed proprietary data while using public generative AI tools, posing an ongoing risk to their organisation.

AI may also impact staff retention, with the increasing use of AI in the workplace apparently changing employee behaviour. Some 25% of UAE employees report they are job-seeking due to AI disruption.

The research also revealed that employees are open to using AI as a tool when changing jobs, with 41% of UAE respondents saying they are open to AI screening their job applications, signalling potential shifts in the future of hiring.

Also, more than half of UAE employees (52%) say they would prefer working with an AI colleague over a human one, indicating that staff could respond well to a significant increase in the use of AI in the workplace. 

The Generative AI Survey was conducted by the Oliver Wyman Forum (Oliver Wyman’s Think Tank) in October and November 2023, surveying more than 12,000 employees in 16 countries.