ServiceNow has forecast that more than 1.03 million jobs will be created in the UAE by 2030 as artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies become embedded across the economy, underlining the scale of the country’s ambitions to position itself as a global AI hub.

The prediction comes amid sustained public and private sector investment in AI-led transformation, driven by initiatives such as the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, the creation of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, and the rapid adoption of cloud platforms, automation and data-driven services across government and industry.

According to ServiceNow, the majority of these new roles will not be traditional “AI jobs” focused solely on data science or machine learning. Instead, they will span a broad range of functions, including IT service management, cyber security, workflow automation, digital operations and business roles augmented by AI-enabled tools. The company argues that AI will increasingly act as a productivity layer across organisations, reshaping existing jobs while creating demand for new skills.

The forecast aligns with findings from ServiceNow’s Enterprise AI maturity index 2025, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, which shows that organisations globally are accelerating AI investment despite struggling to deploy it effectively at scale. The study found that overall enterprise AI maturity declined year-on-year as innovation outpaced governance, skills development and leadership alignment.

In the UAE, however, organisations stand out for their intent to invest. Survey respondents in the country were among the most likely globally to say they expect to increase AI spending over the next fiscal year, reflecting strong confidence in the economic potential of AI and automation. The UAE also ranked highly for perceived availability of AI-related talent compared with European markets such as France, Italy and Spain.

ServiceNow said this appetite for investment is being reinforced by the UAE’s national focus on digital government, smart cities and AI-enabled public services. Programmes to digitise citizen services, modernise infrastructure and deploy advanced analytics across sectors such as finance, energy, aviation and logistics are creating demand for platforms that can connect data, workflows and automation at scale.

However, the research also highlights challenges. Data security and governance were identified as major barriers to realising AI value in the UAE, mirroring concerns seen in other advanced digital economies. As organisations experiment with generative and agentic AI, many lack the guardrails needed to manage risk, ensure compliance and measure return on investment.

ServiceNow’s study emphasises the growing importance of what it terms “AI pacesetters”, organisations that outperform peers by taking a platform-based approach, embedding AI into end-to-end workflows, and prioritising governance and leadership. These organisations are more likely to report improved productivity, faster innovation and increased margins from AI investments.

Agentic AI is highlighted as a key emerging trend. While adoption remains at an early stage, ServiceNow believes such technologies could play a significant role in sectors critical to the UAE economy, including cyber security operations, infrastructure management and customer service.

The report also stresses that human capital will be central to the UAE’s AI-driven growth. While automation will streamline routine tasks, organisations will need to invest heavily in reskilling and upskilling employees to work effectively alongside AI systems. Roles focused on AI governance, workflow design, change management and ethical oversight are expected to grow in importance.

The company concludes that the UAE’s combination of national strategy, regulatory support and willingness to invest positions it well to capture economic value from AI.

However, realising the forecast 1.03 million new jobs will depend on how effectively organisations translate ambition into execution, balancing innovation with governance, and technology deployment with workforce transformation.

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