World Bank names UAE global AI leader in foundation models, talent and adoption

The World Bank’s World Development Report 2026, titled "The Promise of Artificial Intelligence", has named the UAE as one of the world’s leading emerging powers in AI, highlighting its progress in developing foundation models, attracting international AI talent, and rapid adoption of generative tools across the economy. The report singles out the UAE’s Falcon family of large language models, developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, and notes the country’s top-10 ranking for ChatGPT adoption relative to internet users.

"One of the world's leading developers of open-source, open-weight AI models," the report states of the Technology Innovation Institute, underscoring the global reach and adaptability of the Falcon models that can be downloaded and adapted by researchers and developers.

The World Development Report 2026 places the UAE among a small group of countries that have made "tangible progress" in building advanced foundation AI models from scratch. It cites multiple metrics to support that assessment: in 2025 the UAE recorded one of the highest net inflows of AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members, and the country ranked first globally for positive net inflows of leading AI authors and inventors, "reaching a score of 2.58," a marked reversal from its historical average between 2011 and 2024.

• Foundation models: The Falcon LLM family, produced by the Technology Innovation Institute, is highlighted as a core example of the UAE’s capability to create adaptable, open-weight AI systems for external use.
• Talent attraction: Alongside Luxembourg, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, the UAE reported one of the highest net inflows of AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members in 2025, according to the 2026 AI Index cited in the report.
• Adoption metrics: The report ranks the UAE among the global top 10 for ChatGPT usage relative to internet users, indicating strong uptake of generative AI tools by both individuals and businesses.
• Institutional measures: The World Bank highlighted the UAE’s integration of AI literacy into its national skills framework, the appointment of chief AI officers across federal entities, and the creation of a unified federal authority for artificial intelligence, data and digital government.

The World Bank attributes part of the UAE’s success in drawing AI talent to long-term residency incentives targeted at experts in machine learning, model development and AI engineering. Those incentives, combined with the country’s investment in in-house model development and open-source releases, have positioned the UAE as a practical example for nations seeking to both adopt and locally adapt AI technologies for linguistic and economic needs.

Analysts say the combination of homegrown foundation models, explicit talent policies and institutional coordination could accelerate the UAE’s role in regional and global AI ecosystems. Looking ahead, sustaining momentum will depend on continued investment in research capacity, regulatory clarity around model deployment, and ongoing integration of AI skills into workforce development. The World Development Report 2026 frames the UAE as offering "a model" for countries aiming not only to use AI but to shape and develop it domestically.