The UAE’s banking sector has emerged as a regional leader in artificial intelligence adoption after two of its largest lenders secured places among the top three institutions in the inaugural Evident AI Index for Banks – Middle East and Africa (MEA).
Dubai-headquartered Emirates NBD ranked first among 25 of the region’s largest banks. Meanwhile, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) secured third place. South Africa’s Standard Bank Group claimed the second position.
The rankings highlight the UAE’s growing strength in AI-driven banking and reflect years of investment in digital transformation across the country’s financial sector.
New benchmark measures AI maturity across banking sector
Published by Evident Insights Ltd., the inaugural index evaluates AI maturity across four key pillars: talent, innovation, leadership and transparency.
The study assessed 25 of the Middle East and Africa’s largest banks using more than 60 indicators. As a result, it provides one of the region’s most comprehensive independent benchmarks for measuring AI adoption in financial services.
The top five institutions in the index were Emirates NBD, Standard Bank Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Nedbank Group and FirstRand.
Notably, the rankings underscore the leadership of UAE and South African banks in deploying AI at scale.
Emirates NBD stands out across multiple AI categories
Emirates NBD delivered one of the strongest performances in the report. The bank was the only institution to achieve top-three rankings across the Talent, Innovation and Leadership categories.
According to the study, Emirates NBD also recorded the highest volume of AI talent among Middle Eastern banks. Its workforce strength was particularly evident in software implementation and product management functions.
The findings suggest that the bank has moved beyond isolated AI experiments and is pursuing enterprise-wide adoption across multiple business areas.
UAE banks expand AI use cases across operations
Both Emirates NBD and First Abu Dhabi Bank are accelerating AI deployment across customer-facing and operational functions.
The report highlighted initiatives such as smart customer onboarding, AI-powered engagement platforms and advanced risk analytics. These applications are helping banks improve customer experiences while enhancing operational efficiency.
Furthermore, the study identified a strong link between AI maturity and the number of AI use cases deployed in production. Banks that invested heavily in AI capabilities were more likely to translate those investments into practical business outcomes.
Digital transformation investments driving results
The report noted that leading banks benefit from years of technology modernisation and stronger access to specialised talent.
In addition, supportive regulatory environments and government-backed digital strategies have helped financial institutions accelerate AI adoption.
For UAE banks, these advantages align closely with the country’s broader ambitions to become a global hub for artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Challenges remain despite rapid progress
Despite the strong momentum, banks across the region continue to face several obstacles.
Access to advanced computing infrastructure remains limited in some markets. Additionally, institutions are competing aggressively for experienced AI specialists.
The report also highlighted the need for more localised AI models capable of supporting Arabic-language environments and regional customer requirements.
AI race could reshape MEA banking landscape
The release of the Evident AI Index comes at a crucial time for banks across the Middle East and Africa. Financial institutions are increasingly using AI to transform customer onboarding, engagement, compliance and risk management.
At the same time, governments across the region continue to invest heavily in AI strategies, digital infrastructure and fintech ecosystems.
Consequently, banks that secure talent, build strategic partnerships and scale AI capabilities early may gain a lasting competitive advantage. The report suggests that the next phase of banking competition in the region could be defined as much by AI leadership as by traditional financial strength.
