UAE GenAI Enrollments Jump 344% Year-Over-Year, Leading MENA and Global Growth as Coursera Hails UAE AI Leadership Under 2031 Vision

The United Arab Emirates is witnessing a transformative surge in Generative AI (GenAI) learning and broader AI readiness, underscored by a remarkable 344% year-over-year jump in GenAI enrollments. This surge far outpaces the regional Middle East and North Africa average of 128% and the global average of 195%, according to Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2025. The report, produced by Coursera—the online learning platform serving over 170 million users worldwide—offers a detailed lens into how nations are equipping their workforces for an accelerated digital era. Beyond the headline growth in GenAI enrollments, the report highlights the UAE’s strategic emphasis on cultivating future-ready talent, signaling a national push to embed technology literacy, AI, and big data competencies across the labor market.

The UAE’s rapid expansion in GenAI learning reflects a broader, government-backed strategy to develop a knowledge-based economy powered by Emirati talent. This aligns with the national vision known as We the UAE 2031, which seeks to transform the country into a hub of innovation, digital skills, and high-value industries. The Global Skills Report distinguishes the UAE as a standout performer within the Arab world, demonstrating how targeted investment in education and training can translate into measurable gains in AI readiness. The UAE’s approach integrates in-school curricula, online learning platforms, and industry partnerships to accelerate skill development and workforce transformation. In short, the UAE is pursuing a proactive, long-term strategy to close skill gaps and cultivate homegrown expertise in AI and related technologies.

Read-UAE ranks among the top 10 nations with the most AI firms per capita, illustrating a parallel trend: as AI education and learning take hold, UAE-based AI ventures and startups are proliferating at a faster pace relative to population size. This correlation between heightened AI education and entrepreneurial activity signals a fertile ecosystem in which knowledge translates into practical innovation and business formation. In the context of the Global Skills Report, such a dynamic underscores the UAE’s commitment to sustaining momentum in AI adoption, not only through training but also through practical application in enterprise settings. The result is a reinforcing loop: more GenAI learning feeds greater AI capability in the economy, which in turn attracts investment, talent, and entrepreneurship.

GenAI learning growth and workforce readiness

The surge in GenAI enrollments is not an isolated statistic; it is the visible tip of a comprehensive movement toward workforce readiness. The UAE’s emphasis on GenAI training sits within a broader drive to modernize the labor force, elevate digital literacy, and normalize continuous learning as a core professional habit. Employers in the UAE are prioritizing technology literacy, AI, and big data competencies at an exceptionally high rate—87% of employers identify these skills as critical for current and future roles. This widespread prioritization signals to learners and training providers that the marketplace rewards proficiency in AI-centric disciplines, encouraging more individuals to pursue GenAI-focused courses, certificates, and credentials. The report notes that the labor force is increasingly engaging with online learning, with 13% actively participating in online training and upskilling efforts. This participation rate, while still evolving, points to a growing culture of self-directed learning that complements formal education and corporate training initiatives.

The GCC region has entered a phase where digital upskilling is not a luxury but a strategic imperative. In the UAE, the combination of high employer demand for AI literacy and a population that readily engages with online learning creates a robust environment for GenAI growth. The GenAI trend interacts with other learning streams—such as cybersecurity, data science, programming, and cloud computing—creating an integrated skill set that enables workers to move across roles as technological needs evolve. The report’s longitudinal perspective across more than 100 countries provides a benchmark, illustrating how the UAE’s trajectory compares to peer economies worldwide. The UAE’s GenAI enrollment expansion is thus a clear indicator of how a country can translate policy directions into measurable uptake in high-demand digital skills.

Education and labor analytics teams in the UAE are also attentive to the age and demographic composition of learners. Within the MENA region, there are 10.8 million learners, and the UAE accounts for approximately 1.3 million of them, reflecting a sizable concentration of online learners in the country. The median age of UAE learners sits around 36, indicative of a workforce in mid-career phases seeking to upskill. This demographic profile is favorable for a sustained upskilling strategy, as mid-career professionals bring existing experience to bear when integrating GenAI tools into their daily work. The mobile learning trend further reinforces accessibility and reach: 41% of learners in the region access content via mobile devices, underscoring the importance of mobile-first learning platforms and content formats that cater to on-the-go learners. The UAE’s digital learning ecosystem, therefore, benefits from a broad base of technologically engaged learners who can adapt to GenAI-enabled workflows.

Workforce transformation and professional certificates

Professional certificate enrollments have surged by 41% in the UAE, signaling a strong appetite for job-relevant, tech-focused credentials. Within this surge, cybersecurity courses have risen by 14%, highlighting a specific and growing demand for defensive expertise in a landscape increasingly shaped by GenAI and data-driven decision-making. The emphasis on professional certificates indicates a strategic shift away from traditional, broad degree programs toward shorter, targeted credentials that validate practical skills and enable quicker deployment of talent into the workforce. This trend aligns with the government’s emphasis on efficient, outcome-oriented upskilling that can be measured by employer demand and workforce performance.

The UAE’s rising certificate enrollments correspond to broader labor-market dynamics in which employers seek verifiable competencies that reduce onboarding risk and shorten ramp-up times. For learners, professional certificates provide a tangible path to career advancement, salary growth, and enhanced job security in sectors that are adopting AI-driven processes. The cybersecurity specialization, in particular, reflects the increasingly critical need to defend digital assets, protect sensitive information, and maintain trust in AI-enabled systems. As GenAI technologies permeate business operations, the demand for cybersecurity skills grows in tandem, reinforcing the importance of integrated curricula that couple AI literacy with security fundamentals.

The report covers skill trends and learner behavior across more than 100 countries, providing a comparative lens for interpreting the UAE’s performance. The UAE’s strong growth in GenAI enrollments and certificates is not only a reflection of domestic policy but also of the country’s active participation in the global digital economy. The upward trajectory suggests a robust pipeline from online learning to professional certification to workforce deployment, with the potential to accelerate productivity gains and innovation across the public and private sectors. The UAE’s commitment to turning education into action—through certificates that are recognized by employers and validated by industry standards—positions the country to translate learning investments into measurable economics in the near term.

AI Maturity Index and global standing

The introduction of the AI Maturity Index in this year’s study offers a novel framework for assessing national readiness for AI by combining learner engagement data with indicators from international organizations such as the IMF and the OECD. The UAE ranks first in the Arab world and 32nd globally out of 109 countries, underscoring a strong regional lead and a credible standing on the global stage. This ranking is supported by a constellation of national initiatives designed to build out AI capacity and integrate AI into core sectors of the economy and society. Notably, the UAE has announced a planned 5GW AI Campus, a landmark project intended to serve as a hub for AI research, talent development, and industry collaboration. The campus is expected to be a central pillar in attracting investment, fostering public-private partnerships, and accelerating the deployment of AI technologies across sectors.

Moreover, the UAE is integrating AI into public school curricula, ensuring that the next generation enters the labor market with foundational and advanced AI literacy. This curricular integration is aligned with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, a comprehensive blueprint that positions AI as a central driver of the economy. The strategy targets AI’s contribution to more than 20% of the non-oil GDP by 2031, illustrating a bold ambition to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on hydrocarbons, and embed AI in a wide array of industries. The convergence of learner engagement metrics, IMF and OECD indicators, and national policy actions presents a coherent picture of the UAE’s AI momentum, suggesting that the country is not merely adopting AI but embedding it deeply into its strategic economic framework.

Kais Zribi, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Coursera, framed the UAE’s progress as a signal of rapid AI learning scale and infrastructure development that are essential for workforce transformation and regional innovation. He emphasized that strong performance on the AI Maturity Index, together with high proficiency in overall skills, demonstrates the UAE’s growing ability to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and lead in AI readiness. This assessment reflects a convergence of learning, policy, and industry that is likely to sustain the UAE’s lead in the Arab world and enhance its competitiveness on the global stage. The AI Maturity Index thus serves as both a diagnostic tool and a strategic guide, highlighting where the country’s strengths lie and where continued investment is needed to maintain momentum and broaden AI adoption across sectors.

National initiatives, policy alignment, and economic impact

The UAE’s AI strategy and policy environment are anchored in a suite of ambitious national initiatives designed to translate learning gains into tangible economic outcomes. The planned 5GW AI Campus is more than a physical facility; it represents a centralized ecosystem intended to accelerate AI education, research, and industrial deployment. By concentrating talent development, research activities, and enterprise collaboration within a single ecosystem, the campus aims to reduce friction in the AI value chain, from discovery to deployment. This approach demonstrates the government’s willingness to invest in large-scale infrastructure that can catalyze private-sector investment, attract global tech firms, and create a hospitable environment for startups and AI ventures.

In parallel, the UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 provides a strategic framework for integrating AI across government, education, health, finance, energy, and transportation. The policy is designed to ensure that AI contributes to more than 20% of the non-oil GDP by 2031, signaling a deliberate shift away from hydrocarbon-reliant growth toward diversified, knowledge-based industries. The convergence of policy, education, and industry action supports a robust pipeline of AI talent and capabilities, enabling the UAE to compete effectively with other advanced economies in AI research, development, and application. This alignment between policy objectives and learning outcomes is a hallmark of a coordinated national strategy, one that can deliver sustained growth in AI-enabled productivity, innovation, and competitiveness.

The data from Coursera’s Global Skills Report reinforces the value of these national actions. The UAE’s standout performance, including its high readiness indicators and strong engagement in AI learning, indicates that the policy environment is translating into real-world outcomes. For policymakers, industry leaders, and educators, the UAE’s model offers a blueprint for designing programs that bridge the gap between training and job placement, while also cultivating an innovation ecosystem that can sustain long-term growth.

Leadership perspective and regional impact

Kais Zribi’s assessment highlights the UAE’s trajectory as a leader in AI learning and infrastructure development within the Middle East and Africa region. He notes that the country is rapidly scaling both AI learning and the corresponding infrastructure to drive workforce transformation and regional innovation. This perspective underscores the role of the UAE not only as a consumer of AI technology but as a catalyst for AI-enabled growth in the region. The strength of the UAE’s performance on the AI Maturity Index and its high standings in overall skills proficiency reflect a growing capacity to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and position the country at the forefront of AI readiness in the Arab world.

The UAE’s leadership role has broader regional implications. As more nations in the MENA region invest in AI education and deployment, the UAE’s model offers a reference point for how to structure large-scale upskilling programs, integrate AI into curricula, and build networks of industry, government, and academia. The country’s emphasis on public-private collaboration, international partnerships, and innovation-friendly policy environments provides a template for other economies seeking to accelerate their own AI journeys. In a broader sense, the UAE’s progress signals a regional shift toward AI-enabled economic diversification, higher-value job creation, and a more resilient labor market capable of adapting to rapid technological change.

Challenges: gender gaps, skills shortages, and gaps in readiness

Despite notable progress, the UAE faces persistent challenges in achieving universal AI readiness and close alignment between skills supply and demand. The country ranks 38th globally in overall skills proficiency across business, technology, and data science, a position that—the report emphasizes—remains a leadership vector within the Arab world but nonetheless highlights room for improvement compared with top global performers. The UAE exhibits high proficiency in business skills (85%), a moderate strength in data science (59%), and a need for continued improvement in technology skills (52%). These figures illustrate a nuanced skill profile: the country already excels in strategic and business-oriented capabilities while needing to bolster technical expertise to meet the surging demands of GenAI and other advanced AI applications.

Within the context of the MENA region, the UAE’s learner base is substantial: 1.3 million learners reside in the UAE out of 10.8 million learners region-wide. The demographic profile shows a median learner age around 36, suggesting a workforce with significant mid-career momentum to upskill. The mobile learning trend—41% of learners using mobile devices—highlights the importance of accessible, mobile-first content and delivery models to maximize reach and impact. Yet, despite these shifts, 72% of UAE employers still cite skills gaps as a major barrier, underscoring that supply-demand misalignments remain a bottleneck in fully integrating GenAI into the economy.

Gender disparities persist. Women constitute 32% of online learners in the UAE, with only 24% enrolled in STEM fields and 21% in GenAI. This data reveals a significant opportunity for inclusive growth and targeted interventions to attract more women into AI-related careers. Addressing these gender gaps will require deliberate strategies across education, mentorship, outreach, and flexible learning options designed to reduce barriers and expand participation among women in tech and AI fields.

The broader context of regional needs reinforces the UAE’s challenge: building a robust, inclusive, and scalable AI workforce requires ongoing investment in curricula, instructors, content quality, and certification frameworks that map to real-world job requirements. The country’s leadership acknowledges these gaps and has signaled a continued commitment to expanding access to AI education, improving the quality and relevance of training, and ensuring that women and underrepresented groups can participate meaningfully in emerging tech sectors.

Digital learning behavior and access patterns

The UAE’s digital learning ecosystem is characterized by high engagement and broad access, with mobile adoption playing a central role. The majority of learners engage with online content through digital platforms, and a sizable share accesses courses via mobile devices. This mobile-first pattern is critical for delivering GenAI and AI-related content to a diverse population, including working professionals, students, and lifelong learners who require flexible schedules. The data indicate that mobile accessibility is not simply a convenience but a necessity for achieving wide reach and sustained participation in AI education.

Within the broader MENA context, 41% of learners access content via mobile, reflecting a regional trend toward portable, on-the-go learning. This trend interacts with the UAE’s high levels of online engagement and its strong digital infrastructure to support continuous learning. The implications for educators and policy makers are clear: to sustain growth in GenAI competencies, content must be designed for mobile delivery, with offline capabilities, bite-sized modules, and responsive formats that accommodate varied connectivity and time constraints.

Despite these favorable conditions, a large portion of the workforce still perceives skills gaps as a barrier to fully leveraging AI capabilities. The 72% statistic on perceived skills gaps indicates that many employers believe there is still a mismatch between the skills workers possess and the needs of AI-enabled roles. This gap underscores the importance of ongoing, employer-aligned training programs and the expansion of targeted certificates and micro-credentials that directly address identified gaps, such as AI programming, data governance, model evaluation, risk assessment, and cybersecurity in AI systems.

Gender-focused learning patterns also shape the digital learning landscape. With women accounting for 32% of online learners and lower representation in STEM and GenAI courses, there is a clear imperative to design outreach and support structures that facilitate entry and advancement for women in AI fields. Initiatives could include scholarships, mentorship programs, women-led AI labs, and targeted partnerships with universities and industry to create pathways that translate online learning into real-world opportunities for women.

Read-UAE’s AI ecosystem and regional innovation

In addition to GenAI enrollment growth and overall AI readiness, the UAE’s ecosystem supports AI-driven entrepreneurship, evidenced by Read-UAE’s ranking among the top 10 nations by AI firms per capita. This metric signals that entrepreneurial activity in AI is gaining traction in parallel with the nation’s education and training efforts. The convergence of a skilled, digitally fluent workforce with a flourishing AI startup scene can lead to robust domestic innovation and the export of AI expertise to international markets. A vibrant AI ecosystem typically benefits from a well-functioning consentual policy environment, access to capital, supportive tax regimes, and a culture of experimentation—factors that the UAE has actively cultivated through policy reforms, government-backed programs, and strategic investments.

The alignment between education, industry, and entrepreneurship is particularly important as the UAE seeks to diversify its economy beyond oil and towards knowledge-based industries. When GenAI learning translates into new AI-enabled products, services, and processes, the impact extends beyond job creation to productivity gains, competitive advantage for UAE businesses, and enhanced public-sector outcomes. The UAE’s AI strategy and ecosystem thus represent a comprehensive approach to building a national capacity for AI innovation that can set benchmarks for the region.

Implications for policy, business, and society

The GCC region’s trajectory in AI education and readiness presents meaningful implications for public policy and corporate strategy. For policymakers, the UAE’s example demonstrates how to structure large-scale upskilling programs, integrate AI into school curricula, and promote lifelong learning as a core societal norm. For businesses, the growth in GenAI enrollments and certificates translates into a larger, more capable talent pool capable of implementing AI-driven processes across industries such as finance, healthcare, logistics, energy, and retail. The private sector can increasingly leverage a workforce that is comfortable with AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity—key elements for maintaining competitiveness in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

From a societal perspective, the UAE’s progress carries implications for inclusion and social equity. The gender gaps in STEM and GenAI participation require deliberate interventions to ensure that the benefits of AI-driven growth are widely shared. Policies that promote STEM education from a young age, provide targeted scholarships, and encourage female representation in AI research and industry roles are essential to maximizing inclusive growth. The emphasis on mobile learning also signals a commitment to accessible education for diverse communities, including non-traditional students, part-time workers, and individuals balancing family responsibilities. This inclusive approach will be critical to ensuring that AI’s benefits accrue across society rather than to a narrow segment of the population.

The AI Maturity Index’s ranking signals that the UAE’s approach to measuring and improving AI readiness is paying dividends. The index combines learning engagement indicators with macro-level metrics from international organizations, offering a holistic view of national preparedness. Policymakers can use this framework to identify gaps, prioritize investments, and track progress over time. For the UAE, maintaining momentum will require ongoing investments in teacher training, curriculum development, and evaluation methods that keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI technologies. It will also demand continued attention to cybersecurity, ethics, governance, and risk management to ensure that AI adoption translates into sustainable, responsible growth.

The path forward: opportunities and strategic priorities

Looking ahead, the UAE’s AI strategy and educational initiatives point to several strategic priorities. First, sustaining GenAI learning momentum will require expanding capstone projects, internships, and industry partnerships that connect learners with real-world AI use cases. Second, expanding the professional certificate ecosystem—particularly in cybersecurity, data science, and AI model governance—will be essential to producing a workforce capable of building, deploying, and securing AI systems. Third, the AI Campus and broader AI infrastructure investments must be complemented by strong data governance frameworks, privacy safeguards, and ethical standards to ensure responsible AI development and deployment. Fourth, addressing gender disparities will require targeted outreach, mentorship, and flexible learning opportunities that empower more women to participate in STEM, GenAI, and AI leadership roles. Finally, the UAE should continue to monitor global AI trends and collaborate with international partners to share best practices, co-develop curriculum resources, and align standards for AI education and certification.

The UAE’s approach—combining data-driven policy, ambitious infrastructure projects, widespread online learning, and a commitment to inclusive growth—offers a model that others in the region and beyond may study and adapt. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and aligning educational outcomes with workforce needs, the UAE can sustain its position as a regional leader in AI readiness and contribute to broader regional innovation and economic diversification. As GenAI technologies become more integrated into daily business processes and public services, the emphasis on practical, outcome-oriented training will be critical to maintaining a high-performing, resilient, and innovative economy.

Conclusion

The Global Skills Report 2025 makes a compelling case for the United Arab Emirates as a standout nation in GenAI learning, AI maturity, and workforce transformation. With a 344% year-over-year increase in GenAI enrollments—well above regional and global averages—the UAE demonstrates a strong commitment to building an AI-enabled economy through targeted education, certification, and policy support. The rise in professional certificates, including cybersecurity credentials, signals a practical shift toward job-ready competencies that can translate quickly into productivity gains and innovation.

The AI Maturity Index places the UAE at the forefront of the Arab world and among the top global performers, reflecting a robust combination of learner engagement, policy alignment, and strategic investments in AI infrastructure such as the planned 5GW AI Campus. The country’s National AI Strategy 2031, with its ambitious target of AI contributing more than 20% of non-oil GDP, underscores a long-term vision to diversify the economy and embed AI into a wide range of sectors, including education, health, finance, and government services. The UAE’s leadership role in regional AI development, reinforced by strong performance in overall skills proficiency, highlights its capacity to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and drive regional innovation.

Yet, the journey is not without challenges. While the UAE leads the Arab world, it ranks 38th globally in overall skills proficiency, illustrating ongoing opportunities to further elevate technical capabilities and data science expertise. Notably, the UAE shows high business skills proficiency but demonstrates room for improvement in technology skills, underscoring the need for continued focus on technical training and hands-on AI experience. The public and private sectors must work together to close persistent skills gaps, particularly in technology and data disciplines, to ensure GenAI adoption translates into widespread productivity gains. The gender gap remains a critical area for action; with women comprising only 32% of online learners and even smaller shares in STEM and GenAI courses, targeted interventions are essential to unlock the full potential of the UAE’s talent pool.

The UAE’s approach to digital upskilling—emphasizing accessible mobile learning, employer-aligned certificates, and strategic infrastructure—offers a compelling blueprint for sustainable AI readiness. By maintaining momentum in GenAI enrollments, expanding professional credentials, and continuing to invest in AI infrastructure and curricular integration, the UAE can solidify its position as a regional leader and a global reference for AI-enabled economic growth. The alignment of policy, education, and industry creates a robust ecosystem where learning translates into practical capability, innovation, and economic diversification, ultimately strengthening the UAE’s competitive position in the global AI economy.