UAE enterprises accelerate deployment of agentic and sovereign AI

Enterprises in the UAE are increasingly integrating agentic and sovereign AI into their core operations. Etisalat UAE has expanded its partnership with DataRobot to deploy agentic AI capabilities within its own private cloud infrastructure. This initiative aims to move beyond simple insights toward systems capable of executing business processes while maintaining strict data governance and security.

In the procurement sector, Etisalat has successfully completed its first contract evaluation using an agentic AI solution, which has the potential to reduce procurement lifecycles by approximately 50 per cent. Similarly, DAMAC Properties is expanding its use of AI in human resources, following the high adoption of its digital recognition platform, with plans to introduce AI-supported sentiment analysis and performance feedback by 2026.

Broader discussions at the Sharjah Investment Forum 2026 highlighted the rise of ‘human-led, agent-operated’ businesses. For example, an unnamed Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund uses AI to test investment proposals, providing alternative arguments for human committees to review. In Dubai, the GenDubAI platform has been launched to help families navigate the safe and responsible use of AI for children aged 8 to 15.