UAE food and beverage manufacturers are scaling industrial AI faster than their peers in other surveyed markets, according to Schneider Electric’s 2026 Industrial AI in CPG Study.
The study found that 29% of UAE manufacturers have deployed AI across multiple sites or processes, compared with 25.3% globally. AI is already considered core to operations and decision-making by 23%, versus 16.3% worldwide.
Near-term adoption expectations are also high. Some 57% of UAE manufacturers expect AI to be significantly scaled across operations by 2027, compared with 40.5% globally. Meanwhile, 96% expect AI to deliver a return on investment by 2027, the highest confidence level recorded in the survey.
Cost is the main barrier, cited by 46% of UAE manufacturers, compared with 19.1% globally. Skills shortages and legacy infrastructure ranked lower as concerns in the UAE. Cybersecurity was a top focus for 38% of respondents, well above the 21.6% global average.
Conducted by Censuswide, the study surveyed 100 UAE F&B decision-makers and 676 respondents across 15 countries. It was launched at Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa in Abu Dhabi, which attracted more than 2,500 attendees.
Source: Middle East AI News
