TLDR: A new report by EnterpriseDB (EDB) highlights the Middle East, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as a global leader in adopting agentic and generative AI, with data and AI sovereignty being a critical factor for success. The region’s ‘Deeply Committed’ enterprises are achieving significantly higher ROI from AI investments, aligning with national strategies for economic transformation.
Dubai, UAE – The Middle East is rapidly emerging as a global frontrunner in the adoption and strategic implementation of agentic and generative Artificial Intelligence, with a strong emphasis on data and AI sovereignty. This insight comes from new research unveiled by EnterpriseDB (EDB), a prominent sovereign AI and data company, on September 19, 2025. The findings underscore a significant global shift, led by enterprises in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, towards greater control and localization of their AI and data ecosystems.
Sovereign AI adoption, as defined by EDB, refers to the capability of organizations to comprehensively manage, localize, and secure their data and AI systems. This includes dictating where data is stored, how it is processed, and the specific technologies utilized, thereby reducing reliance on external vendors or foreign infrastructure. This approach is crucial for ensuring compliance with national regulations, safeguarding sensitive information, and fostering confident innovation within enterprises.
According to EDB’s report, titled ‘Sovereignty Matters: A Global Blueprint for Sovereign, Agentic and Generative AI,’ the Middle East boasts the highest proportion of ‘Deeply Committed’ enterprises worldwide, standing at 17%—a notable figure above the global average of 13%. These organizations have prioritized sovereignty over their AI and data as a mission-critical objective, consequently realizing up to five times greater return on investment (ROI) from their AI initiatives compared to their less committed counterparts. These leaders are also deploying twice as many mainstream AI applications and are 2.5 times more confident in their ability to lead their respective industries.
Kevin Dallas, CEO of EDB, stated, “Our research is clear: sovereignty over AI and data is the single biggest predictor of success with generative and agentic AI. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are showing the world what happens when enterprises make sovereignty a mission-critical priority.” This regional leadership is in direct alignment with ambitious national agendas, such as the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, both of which position AI as a central pillar for economic transformation and global competitiveness.
Beyond compliance and security, adopting sovereign AI strategies is positioning Middle Eastern enterprises as global leaders in innovation, efficiency, and trust. The region’s commitment extends to substantial investments in AI infrastructure. Gartner forecasts that IT spending in the MENA region will reach $169 billion in 2026, driven by significant capital deployment into AI and data centers. Saudi Arabia, for instance, recently launched Humain, a state-backed company dedicated to AI development and commercialization, backed by the Public Investment Fund. Humain has already forged partnerships with global tech giants like Nvidia and AMD to secure high-performance chips and technologies for building AI infrastructure, including new-generation data centers.
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Furthermore, major projects like ‘Stargate UAE’ in Abu Dhabi, a large-scale AI infrastructure initiative, aim to establish the world’s largest AI data centers outside the United States, in partnership with entities like OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank. This strategic push is not only transforming the Middle East from a hydrocarbon-driven economy into a sovereign AI superpower but also positioning it as a crucial AI gateway for the Global South, reshaping digital dependencies and AI access patterns globally.
