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Jad Haddad , Head of Digital , Oliver Wyman India , Middle East , and Africa

W ell over a third of the UAE ’ s workers and students are already benefitting from the enormous potential delivered from generative AI technologies , yet their employers and teachers are not even aware of this growing usage within their organisations , according to global management consultancy , Oliver Wyman .

Generative AI is the type of artificial intelligence technology that can produce various types of content for its users , including text , audio , and visual . Examples of generative AI applications that are popular in the GCC include : ChatGPT , GPT-4 , Bard , and Synthesia .

At 39 %, the UAE ’ s covert use of generative AI mirrors the global average , while Mexico is the highest at 46 %, and Italy the lowest at 34 %. By industry , 45 % of those in manufacturing in the UAE have used AI without employer awareness , 38 % of those in technology , and 33 % in financial services .

The UAE research into AI behaviours was conducted in July 2023 by the Oliver Wyman Forum , the management consultancy ’ s think tank dedicated to building communities to act on shared global challenges .

“ The workforce of the future will be hugely , and in many ways positively , impacted by generative AI technology . That is no longer up for debate ,” says Jad Haddad , Head of Digital at Oliver Wyman in India , the Middle East , and Africa .

“ However , the rate of adoption , and therefore transformation , will vary widely by industry and company , and that will depend greatly on policies , actions , and general openness . Enabling people who can use AI with purpose will be key to growth in the future .

It is not surprising that 39 % of employees and students in the UAE have used AI covertly , adds Haddad , because it has the potential , when approached correctly , to streamline and speed up processes , including those that are tedious . The risk factors need to be taken seriously , of course , but the more the technology is ignored by organisations , the more covert use will be seen which presents a severe cybersecurity threat .

“ All GCC organisations need to be thinking seriously and boldly about early generative AI adoption policies now – it is not something that we can just ignore . The AI technologies are well and truly out there ,” concludes Haddad .

Oliver Wyman is a global in management consulting . With offices in more than 70 cities across 30 countries , Oliver Wyman combines deep industry knowledge with specialised expertise in strategy , operations , risk management , and organisation transformation . The firm has more than 6,000 professionals around the world who work with clients to optimise their business , improve their operations and risk profile , and accelerate their organisational performance to seize the most attractive opportunities . Oliver Wyman is a business of Marsh McLennan . The Oliver Wyman Forum is dedicated to building communities to act on shared global challenges . •

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