Recent research from Workday reveals that while artificial intelligence has become a staple in UAE workplaces—with 90% of employees utilizing it weekly—the technology’s impact on productivity is a bit of a mixed bag. Workers are reclaiming an average of 3.6 hours per week thanks to AI automation; however, they are simultaneously spending 3.4 hours fixing, rewriting, or clarifying the output produced by these tools. This reality underscores the fact that as businesses transition from AI experimentation to full-scale integration, human oversight remains a critical, time-consuming necessity to ensure quality and accuracy.

Interestingly, local organizations are prioritizing growth and talent development over simple budget cuts when it comes to AI-driven efficiency. Only a quarter of the companies surveyed are using these time savings to reduce costs. Instead, many are leveraging AI to manage heavier workloads without expanding their headcount, while others are reinvesting those gains into upskilling staff and improving employee well-being. As Workday establishes its new regional hub in Dubai, the focus for UAE leaders is shifting toward building trust in AI systems and refining their workflows to ensure that the time spent correcting AI errors eventually diminishes, allowing the technology to reach its full potential.