In brief
A report from the Dubai Financial Services Authority shows AI adoption in the Dubai International Financial Centre rising from 30% to 70%, with 64% of firms using generative AI. Emirates NBD has put about 50% of its tech budget into AI, creating over 50 use cases and gaining a 15% productivity boost in debt‑collection trials. The trend signals stronger efficiency, cyber resilience and global investment prospects for the UAE's financial sector.
In the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), AI use has jumped from 30% to over 70% of firms, according to a Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) report released on the sidelines of the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026. Mark Steward, the DFSA chief executive, said the rise also includes 64% of companies using generative AI.
Emirates NBD, one of the region’s largest banks, has earmarked around half of its technology budget for AI initiatives. Neeraj Makin, the bank’s Group Head of Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital, reported that the firm has developed more than 50 AI use cases, from fraud prevention to customer service.
A trial using AI on 4,000 debt‑collection accounts produced a 15% improvement in productivity compared with traditional staff‑handled accounts, according to the bank’s internal results. The bank plans to keep the same level of spending on AI next year.
Other industry voices echo the theme of rapid growth. Mohammed Al Hakim, Vice Chairman of MultiBank Group and CEO of MB.io, said the UAE has become a global hub for financial innovation and that AI integration has improved trading and interbank operations. He noted that the group, which moved from the United States in 2021, recorded about US$500 billion in trading volumes in a single month.
Experts see the trend as boosting efficiency, enhancing cyber resilience and attracting sustainable global investment to the UAE’s financial market.
