As businesses worldwide celebrate AI Appreciation Day, industry leaders say the focus in the UAE and wider Gulf has shifted beyond experimenting with artificial intelligence to building the infrastructure, talent and governance needed to make AI a long-term economic driver.
The UAE has emerged as one of the region’s most ambitious adopters of AI, investing heavily in data centres, sovereign AI capabilities, digital government services and advanced technology ecosystems. Experts say the next phase of growth will be defined not just by the use of AI, but by ownership, trust and real-world deployment.
“On AI Appreciation Day, what stands out most is how decisively the Gulf has moved from adopting AI to authoring it,” said Dr Moataz BinAli, CEO of Magna AI. “Across Saudi Arabia and the wider region, AI is no longer something we simply import; it is something we build, own, and shape through local infrastructure, platforms, talent, and intellectual property.”
He added that the development of local AI capabilities is strengthening technological independence while creating new industries and economic opportunities.
AI’s growing prominence is also reshaping how enterprises operate. Antonio Rizzi, VP Solution Consulting EMEA South at ServiceNow, said one of the most significant developments has been the emergence of “agent loops” — autonomous systems capable of pursuing long-term goals, coordinating with other agents and continuously refining outcomes. According to him, organisations are moving from having humans directly manage AI processes to overseeing and governing increasingly autonomous systems.
That shift is already being reflected in how businesses deploy AI. Inna Weiner, VP Product, Data and AI at AppsFlyer, noted that AI is evolving from a tool that merely advises humans to one that can investigate issues, take action and verify outcomes independently. She argued that the companies that gain the greatest advantage will be those that redesign workflows so AI agents can perform meaningful work rather than simply support existing processes.
While the opportunities are considerable, experts warned that trust remains the critical factor in AI’s future success.
“AI isn’t a technology shift. It’s a fundamental business model disruption, and it’s redefining every industry, especially cybersecurity,” said Alexandre Depret-Bixio, SVP International at Anomali. He stressed that AI’s effectiveness depends on the quality of data behind it and warned that poorly governed AI systems can amplify errors at machine speed. On AI Appreciation Day, he said organisations should celebrate “the data, governance and human expertise” that make responsible AI possible.
Cyber resilience is becoming increasingly important as AI systems become more autonomous. Fady Richmany, Corporate Vice President and General Manager for Emerging Markets at Commvault, said AI is not simply introducing new challenges but fundamentally changing the economics of existing risks.
“AI Appreciation Day should be about more than celebrating innovation. It should also be about appreciating the responsibility that comes with it,” he said, arguing that organisations need trusted data, resilient infrastructure and transparent governance frameworks as AI becomes embedded in everyday business.
Richmany added that the future workplace will increasingly involve employees working alongside autonomous AI agents, making trust and resilience key competitive advantages. “The future of AI will not be defined by intelligence alone. It will be defined by trust.”
Antonio Rizzi, VP – Solution Consulting EMEA South at ServiceNow, sees the rise of agentic loops at the key AI breakthrough in 2026 is the rise of agent loops. “AI is moving beyond single tasks: autonomous systems can now pursue long-term goals, coordinate other agents, evaluate results, and keep improving until the goal is reached. This shifts people from being “in the loop” to being “on the loop”: less manual orchestration, more oversight and governance.”
For Magna AI’s Dr Moataz BinAli, the goal is to ensure AI belongs to the region rather than simply operating within it. “We appreciate AI most for its ability to build a future in which AI not only works in the region, but genuinely belongs here by combining innovation with accountability, and translating its potential into measurable, sustainable progress,” he said.
As the UAE accelerates its AI ambitions, industry leaders agree that the next chapter will be less about experimentation and more about building trusted, sovereign and economically impactful AI ecosystems.
