UAE businesses prioritize AI expansion as top commerce goal

Artificial intelligence expansion has emerged as the top priority for commerce leaders in the United Arab Emirates, according to the fourth edition of Salesforce’s State of Commerce report. The research indicates that businesses are prioritizing AI implementation over other objectives such as customer acquisition or adapting to buyer behavior. To prepare for AI-driven discovery, 62% of UAE businesses have optimized content for conversational and question-based searches, while 61% have improved product content quality.

Across the broader Middle East, AI spending is projected to exceed US$3 billion by 2026. However, as organizations move from experimental pilots to enterprise-scale operations, the focus is shifting from selecting sophisticated models to establishing a foundation of trusted, timely, and contextual data. Experts note that a common pitfall for regional organizations is treating AI as a purely technological project rather than a business initiative, emphasizing that successful adoption requires clearly defined business outcomes and robust data governance.