Workday announced the launch of its operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). To mark the launch, Workday released new findings from its report “Beyond Productivity: Measuring the Real Value of AI in the UAE,” which explores how organisations are measuring AI’s impact not just through time savings, but through the value it creates for people and the business.
The research found that AI adoption in the UAE has reached a major milestone, with 90% of employees using it at least weekly, including 58% who use it multiple times a week and 18% who use it every working day. Employees report saving an average of 3.6 hours a week through AI, while more than half of directors and C-suite executives are using AI every week.
The UAE launch is anchored by a new office in Dubai, dedicated regional operations, and expanded local leadership, creating a local hub to engage directly with customers, build strong partnerships, and attract top local talent. The investment positions Workday to help organisations modernise HR and finance, manage change, and get more value from AI as they support the UAE’s national transformation goals.
Workday convened senior leaders, including Angelique De Vries-Schipperijn, President, EMEA, and Zakaria Haltout, Group Vice President (GVP), Middle East, Turkey & Africa (META), to mark the opening.
A Region Ready for Its Next Stage of Growth
The Middle East is a cornerstone of Workday’s global growth strategy, as strong customer demand, growing cloud adoption, and national transformation agendas make this an increasingly important market. Momentum is building across both the public and private sectors, and the organisations that modernise now will set the pace for the years ahead.
“The UAE is a key market in Workday’s growth strategy, with organisations pursuing transformation against some of the world’s most ambitious national agendas,” said Angelique De Vries-Schipperijn, President, EMEA, Workday. “To succeed, they need technology that helps them move faster, adopt new ways of working, and show clear results while maintaining the trust and control large, regulated organisations require.”
AI Adoption Is Creating New Opportunities, But Human Oversight Remains Critical
While AI adoption continues to accelerate across the UAE, the research found that realising its full value still depends on human oversight, trust,and continued investment in skills. Employees spend an average of 3.4 hours per week clarifying, correcting, or rewriting low-quality AI-generated outputs, highlighting the continued importance of people, clear rules, and careful review.
Crucially, UAE organisations are reinvesting AI gains in their people rather than focusing solely on cost reduction:
- 33% use AI-enabled efficiencies to handle greater workloads without increasing headcount.
- 32% are directing time and cost savings created by AI toward training, upskilling, and reskilling.
- Another 32% are channeling AI-driven efficiencies into workload management, workplace flexibility, and employee well-being.
- Only 24% say time and cost savings created by AI are primarily being used for cost reduction.
- Just 0.2% of respondents said AI has not generated meaningful time or cost savings.
“Organisations across the UAE are moving from AI experimentation to everyday use, with 90% of employees using AI at least weekly,” said Zakaria Haltout, GVP, META, Workday. “But lasting value depends on trust, human oversight, and continued investment in skills, which is why Workday helps organisations bring AI into the flow of work with the context, guardrails, and trusted processes they need to move forward with confidence.”
