UAE enterprise GenAI enrollments surge 105% year over year: Report

As the UAE sharpens its ambition to emerge as a global artificial intelligence (AI) powerhouse, enterprises across the country are accelerating investments in both advanced technical capabilities and critical human skills, according to new data from Coursera.

The online learning platform’s Job Skills Report 2026, based on insights from six million enterprise learners across nearly 7,000 institutions, highlights a decisive shift toward building AI-ready workforces. 

The report tracks skill trends across three high-demand domains, Data, IT, and Software & Product Development, while also examining the rapid rise of generative AI (GenAI) capabilities across job roles.

GenAI adoption surges across the workforce

Enterprise GenAI enrollments in the UAE jumped 105% year over year, underscoring the technology’s rapid mainstreaming across functions. At the same time, enrollments in Professional Certificates across all career areas rose 95%, signaling strong demand for agile, industry-recognized micro-credentials that offer verifiable proof of skills.

The findings suggest AI proficiency is no longer confined to core technical teams. Instead, professionals are increasingly layering role-specific AI capabilities on top of foundational expertise—pointing to a model where AI augments rather than replaces human talent.

This acceleration reflects a broader national push. With GenAI projected to contribute up to $81 billion to the UAE economy, workforce readiness is emerging as a central pillar of the country’s long-term economic strategy. Enterprises are responding by embedding AI literacy across functions while strengthening the infrastructure and governance needed to scale adoption responsibly.

Core tech capabilities strengthen

As AI integration deepens, UAE organisations are reinforcing their digital foundations. Network Security enrollments surged 136%, while Cloud Computing and Software Development grew 76% and 67%, respectively.

In the data domain, enterprise learners continued to prioritise essential capabilities, with Data Analysis enrollments rising 69% and SQL up 53%. The sustained focus on these core skills reflects their role as the backbone of AI systems and business intelligence.

These patterns align with projections from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which identifies AI and Big Data, Networks and Cybersecurity, and technological literacy among the fastest-growing skill areas through 2030. Together, the signals point to a workforce preparing not just to adopt emerging technologies but to build, secure, and operationalise them at scale.

Human and leadership skills gain momentum

Alongside technical upskilling, demand for uniquely human capabilities is climbing as automation reshapes routine work. Coursera data shows Critical Thinking enrollments among UAE enterprise learners rose 107%, while Change Management increased 63%.

Organisations are also strengthening strategic execution capabilities. Business Management enrollments grew 85%, and Product Management saw a sharp 123% rise.

The trend reinforces the growing importance of “human-in-the-loop” models, where AI-driven productivity gains are balanced by human judgment, adaptability, and strategic oversight.

“Our data shows UAE enterprises are not only accelerating AI adoption, but investing in the human and technical capabilities required to deploy it responsibly and at scale,” said Kais Zribi, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Coursera. “From foundational tech to leadership and strategic skills, organisations are taking a skills-first approach, building resilient teams that can translate AI ambition into measurable business impact.”

GenAI reshapes global skill priorities

Globally, among learners specifically pursuing GenAI capabilities, Content Creation emerged as the fastest-growing skill. Image Analysis ranked fourth, while Multimodal Prompts placed eighth, highlighting AI’s expanding footprint across business functions.

The report also points to progress toward a more inclusive AI talent pipeline. Female participation in enterprise GenAI enrollments worldwide rose from 36% in 2024 to 41% in 2025, alongside broader engagement in technical learning across Data, IT, and Software & Product Development.

Coursera said the Job Skills Report 2026 is intended to help businesses, governments, and educational institutions better understand the fastest-growing capabilities shaping the future of work, as the UAE and other markets race to translate AI ambition into sustained economic value.