Organisations in the Middle East are reporting stronger AI adoption and productivity gains than their global peers, according to Autodesk’s 2026 State of Design & Make: AI Pulse report.
The research found that 92% of regional respondents saw productivity gains from AI, compared with 84% globally. Meanwhile, 87% said their organisations faced an urgent need to adopt AI, the highest level recorded across markets and well above the global average of 68%.
AI is also influencing innovation and decision-making. Some 90% of respondents reported a positive impact on innovation, while 78% reported better decision-making. Nearly half, or 49%, said their organisations had significantly or substantially increased AI investment over the past year, compared with 40% globally.
Adoption is expanding across business tools, with the use of AI assistants and chatbots rising to 56% from 46% year on year. AI-enabled design software reached 57%, while use in project management platforms increased to 49%.
The findings are based on 153 professionals in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as part of a global survey of 2,500 industry leaders. Respondents cited talent shortages, implementation costs and system integration as key barriers. Security and accuracy were also growing concerns as organisations explored generative AI, automation and agentic AI.
Source: Zawya
