The Middle East ranked first and the UAE second in AI adoption for investor-led research, in the Global Wealth AI Optimism Index, confirming the GCC’s sustained drive to be the leading AI adopter in the global economy.
MENA Leads, UAE Second
The Middle East ranks first globally across the Index, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the primary drivers of AI momentum performance, ranking first and second worldwide respectively.
The UAE’s standout position in Momentum — ahead of every other country in the study — reflects the broader regional commitment to AI-integrated financial infrastructure, consistent with the UAE’s national technology strategy.
According to the State of AI for Wealth report, UAE investors have the highest stated intent of any country surveyed to replace traditional investment research with AI tools within the next twelve months.
AI in Investments
By 2027, AI-driven investment tools will become the primary source of advice for retail investors, with usage projected to grow to around 80% by 2028 according to Deloitte.
78.3% of respondents in the survey already use AI for investment research, with a clear demographic shift between younger investors and investors over the age of 50.
57.8% of investors aged 18 to 35 identify as frequent AI users, compared with 26.9% of those over 50.
Large language models (LLMs) are still evolving as they expand beyond robo-advisors, progressing from chatbots to assistants to agents, reducing the advice gap for retail investors.
Trust is at the Core of AI Wealth Advisory
Transferring AI into assisted investment decisions will depend on building trust through automation.
This shift is already underway, with firms like Morgan Stanley integrating AI into advisory workflows.
The Global Wealth AI Optimism Index weighs AI investment across 19 countries against four metrics: Adoption (AI usage frequency), Confidence (trust in AI accuracy), Edge (perceived competitive advantage), and Momentum (intent to replace traditional research with AI).
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