The United Arab Emirates is projected to expand its workforce by over one million people by 2030, a move essential to sustaining its economic growth and advancing its ambitious push into technology and artificial intelligence. A new forecast by ServiceNow and Pearson estimates a 12.1 percent increase in the UAE’s workforce, the highest projected growth rate among all countries studied.
A Tech-Driven Expansion
This significant workforce expansion is attributed to the nation’s rapid and continued digitisation, large-scale AI adoption, and the comprehensive transformation of services across both public and private sectors. The report highlights that this growth will not be confined to a single industry, with increased demand expected across manufacturing, education, retail, finance, healthcare, energy, and utilities.
Technology-related roles are identified as the central pillar enabling this broad economic development. As industries increasingly integrate advanced digital solutions, the need for a skilled tech workforce becomes paramount to driving innovation and efficiency.
AI as a Job Creator
Challenging common fears of AI-driven job displacement, the report suggests that AI will act as a catalyst for job creation in the UAE. The analysis indicates that AI-powered augmentation, when combined with targeted upskilling and reskilling initiatives, will fuel employment growth rather than reduce it.
By 2030, organisations in the UAE are expected to require more than 91,000 additional technology specialists. Key areas of demand will include programming, computer systems analysis, and search marketing strategy. This finding aligns with the UAE’s broader national strategy to become a global AI leader, supported by major investments and partnerships with global tech giants like Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI, alongside the development of a large-scale AI data centre campus in Abu Dhabi.
A Unique Global Trajectory
The UAE’s projected growth stands in stark contrast to other major economies. The same study forecasts that countries like Germany and Japan will experience workforce declines, largely due to demographic pressures and slower rates of job creation. This comparison underscores the UAE’s distinctive growth trajectory, driven by a forward-thinking, technology-led economic diversification strategy.
About ServiceNow
ServiceNow is a global enterprise software company that provides a cloud-based platform to help companies manage digital workflows for enterprise operations. Its solutions are designed to automate and optimise business processes, improving efficiency and employee experiences across IT, HR, customer service, and other departments. The company focuses on delivering a single platform that can connect various parts of an organization, enabling seamless and intelligent automation.
Source: MEA TechWatch
