The UAE has emerged as the most skilled workforce in the Arab world, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and big data, according to Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2025 released on Wednesday.
With a massive 344% increase in Gen AI-related course enrollments year-on-year, the UAE is outpacing its regional peers in embracing new-age technologies. This growth mirrors the country’s aggressive push toward becoming a knowledge-based, tech-savvy economy.
Ranked 38th globally for overall skills, the UAE holds the second spot in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, trailing only behind Israel. It also sits at 32nd place on the AI Maturity Index, underscoring its strategic focus on advancing artificial intelligence capabilities.
“The UAE is positioning itself for a technology-driven future, with 87 per cent of employers emphasising technological literacy, AI, and big data as their top priorities,” the report highlighted. It added that 13% of the UAE’s workforce is currently training on Coursera—marking the highest engagement rate among spotlight countries in the region.
Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia followed the UAE in the MENA ranking, while countries like Oman and Jordan rounded out the lower end of the regional spectrum.