The UAE ranked first among 44 countries for satisfaction with digital government services, with 89% of respondents reporting positive experiences, according to Boston Consulting Group’s 2026 Digital Government Citizen Survey.
The survey, which covered 48,500 people, also placed the UAE first for digital government usage. Some 53% of respondents said they use these services, while more than three in four said their latest online government transaction was better than the experience they typically receive from private-sector companies.
The results come as the UAE prepares to expand artificial intelligence across government operations. The country plans to convert 50% of government sectors, services and operations into autonomous, agentic AI models over the next two years.
AI adoption is already high among UAE respondents, with 82% saying they use the technology weekly. Meanwhile, 53% believe its benefits in government outweigh the risks, compared with 49% across the GCC and 36% globally.
Across the wider Gulf, 79% of respondents said they were open to AI-powered government interactions, versus 66% globally. The UAE is also expected to unveil further changes to how public services are structured and delivered at a major event next November.
Source: Fast Company Middle East
