The UAE and Saudi Arabia have emerged as global leaders in agentic AI deployment, according to new research from Confluent. The company’s 2026 Data Streaming Report found that 38% of organisations in both countries already run agentic AI applications in production, placing them among the most advanced AI adopters worldwide.
The findings suggest that Gulf organisations are moving beyond pilot projects and accelerating enterprise-scale AI implementation. At the same time, technology leaders across the region are increasing investments in data infrastructure to support future growth.
Data Streaming Takes Centre Stage
The report surveyed 4,625 IT leaders globally and highlighted strong confidence in data streaming technologies across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
In both markets, 95% of respondents said data streaming platforms can accelerate AI adoption. An equal percentage believe these platforms can increase the value of AI investments. As a result, organisations are placing greater emphasis on real-time data capabilities.
Notably, data streaming ranked ahead of AI and machine learning as a strategic business priority. Around 90% of UAE respondents and 88% of Saudi respondents identified data streaming as a key focus area for their organisations.
The findings indicate that regional enterprises increasingly recognise a simple reality. AI systems perform best when they receive accurate, timely and contextual data.
Organisations Focus on Scaling AI Responsibly
Despite strong adoption rates, Gulf organisations continue to face challenges as they scale AI initiatives.
Nearly three-quarters of IT leaders in both countries reported dealing with at least three major obstacles to AI adoption. The most common concerns include limited infrastructure for real-time data processing, uncertainty around data quality and lineage, and shortages in AI and data expertise.
In addition, more than 66% of respondents identified data infrastructure and data quality as specific challenges for agentic AI deployment.
However, these concerns do not signal slowing momentum. Instead, they reflect the practical realities organisations face after moving AI workloads into production environments.
Data Infrastructure Seen as Key to Future Growth
The research also revealed widespread confidence in data streaming as a solution to these challenges.
Nearly all respondents in the UAE and Saudi Arabia said data streaming platforms help improve data trust, context and discoverability. Consequently, organisations view these technologies as critical foundations for the next phase of AI growth.
Industry Perspective
Commenting on the findings, Karim Azar said the UAE and Saudi Arabia have successfully progressed from AI experimentation to deployment.
He noted that organisations across both markets understand the importance of building strong data infrastructure to sustain AI performance at scale. He also highlighted the role of government-backed digital transformation initiatives in supporting regional AI ambitions.
Meanwhile, Shaun Clowes said many organisations no longer face an AI investment challenge. Instead, they face a data challenge. According to him, AI systems require fresh, accurate and contextual information, yet many companies still rely on fragmented data environments and legacy processes.
Gulf Region Strengthens Position in Global AI Race
The report underscores the growing maturity of AI adoption across the Gulf. While many global organisations continue to experiment with AI technologies, businesses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are increasingly focused on operational deployment and long-term scalability.
As agentic AI adoption expands, investment in real-time data infrastructure is likely to become a defining factor in determining which organisations achieve sustainable AI-driven growth.
