In brief
Emarat and Microsoft will work together to adopt AI responsibly and train employees, in line with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031. The partnership aims to strengthen productivity, knowledge work and collaboration across the company’s workforce. Emarat’s CEO said the alliance will help build a more adaptive organization and support the UAE’s progress toward an AI‑enabled economy.
On 28 October 2026, Emarat, the UAE’s leading petroleum company, signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft in Dubai to explore how artificial intelligence can boost workforce productivity and strengthen enterprise readiness. The agreement is part of the national AI strategy 2031 and aims to guide Emarat’s digital transformation across the organization.
The memorandum focuses on secure, responsible AI adoption, governance, and employee skilling. It seeks to prepare Emarat’s people, workflows and technology for the responsible use of AI while contributing to the UAE’s wider digital agenda.
Microsoft will supply high‑level guidance and best‑practice frameworks. The partnership will also host awareness sessions on productivity transformation, and evaluate priority business scenarios where AI agents and automation could generate value for Emarat.
"At Emarat, we are focused on creating the conditions for our workforce to understand, adopt and benefit from emerging technologies in a secure and responsible way," said Burhan Al Hashemi, Emarat CEO. "Our collaboration with Microsoft gives us a structured framework to explore how AI can strengthen productivity, decision‑making and long‑term business value. This is part of our ambition to build a more adaptive organisation and contribute to the UAE’s progress towards an AI‑enabled economy."
"AI transformation is ultimately about empowering people and redesigning how work gets done," said Kethan Parbhoo, General Manager, Small, Medium Enterprises and Channel, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa. "Emarat is taking a thoughtful approach to building the skills, governance and technology foundations needed to adopt AI securely and responsibly. Together, we aim to help unlock new levels of productivity and innovation while supporting the UAE’s ambition to build an AI‑enabled economy."
The partnership underlines Emarat’s ambition to become a digital pioneer in the oil and gas sector. By integrating AI responsibly, the company hopes to improve decision making and productivity, and to set a benchmark for other firms in the region. Emarat’s efforts align with the UAE’s broader goal of positioning the country as a global leader in artificial intelligence, and the collaboration with Microsoft is a concrete step toward that vision.
