Kyndryl Readiness Report Finds 93% of UAE Business Leaders Expect AI to Transform Jobs Within a Year

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), a global leader in mission-critical enterprise services, has released the UAE findings of its second annual Readiness Report, revealing that businesses across the country are accelerating AI adoption while confronting challenges related to infrastructure, cybersecurity and workforce readiness.

The report highlights that AI is delivering early returns in the UAE, pushing enterprises toward what Kyndryl describes as a “tipping point” between innovation momentum and the need for deeper operational reform.

Raoul Van Engelshoven, Managing Director of Kyndryl UAE, said the results reflect the nation’s ambitious AI agenda. “The UAE has set out one of the most ambitious AI agendas in the world, from building an AI-powered government to transforming key industries and supporting an AI-ready workforce,” he noted.

Key Findings

Rising ROI pressure and stalled innovation

• 70% of UAE organizations report increased pressure to validate ROI from AI investments.

• 66% say innovation efforts tend to stall after the proof-of-concept phase.

• 67% acknowledge foundational issues in their technology stack.

Confidence vs. capability gap

• 91% struggle to keep pace with rapid technological change.

• 26% cite complex technology environments as a barrier to scaling investments.

• 24% say misalignment between business and technology teams slows progress.

AI-driven job transformation

• 93% expect AI to completely reshape jobs within the next 12 months.

• 30% are concerned about reskilling employees whose roles may be displaced.

• 41% highlight gaps in cognitive skills, while 40% report shortages in technical AI skills.

Cyber resilience challenges

• 86% experienced a cyber-related outage in the past year.

• Only 38% are implementing advanced cybersecurity measures.

• 35% are upgrading IT infrastructure to mitigate risk.

Regulation and compliance influencing investment

• 27% cite regulatory and compliance pressures as barriers to scaling technology initiatives.

Cloud strategies under pressure

The report also indicates a shift in cloud investment due to geopolitical and regulatory concerns:

• 86% of UAE business leaders express concerns about storing data in global cloud environments.

• 68% have modified their cloud strategies, including data repatriation, vendor reassessment and adoption of private cloud models.

The findings underscore the critical need for UAE organizations to modernize infrastructure, strengthen cybersecurity and accelerate workforce development to sustain AI-driven transformation.