Mohammed Alkhotani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Middle East at Salesforce, explains why AI adoption in the UAE is strong but turning ambition into real business impact depends on data, systems, and execution.
UAE marketers trust AI more than their global peers, but are they overestimating their readiness?
The UAE market is not overestimating its ambition, it is moving with intent. There is a clear and justified confidence in AI, reflected in how quickly organisations are embracing it and embedding it into customer engagement. That level of trust is, in itself, a competitive advantage.
What we are seeing now is a natural transition from adoption to operational maturity. While many organisations have accelerated the deployment of AI capabilities, the focus is increasingly shifting to the foundations that allow those capabilities to deliver consistently and at scale.
This is less about readiness in absolute terms, and more about alignment, bringing together data, systems, and teams to fully unlock the value of AI.
The next phase for the market is about converting momentum into measurable impact, ensuring that AI is not just present in the experience, but driving outcomes in a way that is connected, scalable, and sustainable.
If data is the biggest bottleneck, why are so many organisations still struggling to fix it?
Data bottlenecks are rarely a technology issue in isolation, they are structural and organisational. Most organisations have built up data across multiple systems over time, each designed for a specific function. The challenge is not the absence of data, but the absence of cohesion. Bringing that together requires cross-functional alignment, sustained investment, and, increasingly, a clearer definition of ownership and accountability.
There has also been a tendency to view data primarily as an enabler, rather than a strategic asset. In an AI-driven environment, that distinction becomes critical.. AI is only as effective as the data it can access, trust, and act upon.
What we are seeing now is the shift of attention at the leadership level. Data is increasingly being recognised as central to growth, experience, and trust. Organisations that move decisively to unify and operationalise their data will be the ones that fully unlock the value of AI, translating insight into action in a way that is consistent, scalable, and measurable.
What does effective AI in marketing actually look like today beyond pilots and hype?
Effective AI is no longer defined by experimentation or isolated use cases. It is defined by integration and impact.
At its most effective, AI enables organisations to move from static campaigns to dynamic, continuous engagement. It allows brands to respond in context, anticipate needs, and optimise interactions in real time. This is a fundamental shift from segment-based marketing to individual-level relevance.
The real differentiator, however, is not the presence of AI tools, but how they are orchestrated across the organisation. Leading organisations are embedding AI into decision-making processes, workflows, and customer journeys. They are measuring success in commercial terms, whether that is conversion, retention, or efficiency.
In that sense, effective AI is not a layer. It is an operating model. It changes how organisations plan, execute, and evaluate marketing altogether.
Are brands in the UAE redesigning the customer journey for AI, or just layering AI onto old systems?
In the short term, most organisations have taken a layering approach. It is pragmatic and allows for rapid deployment. It also enables early proof points, which are important in building internal momentum.
However, layering has inherent limitations. If the underlying systems remain fragmented, AI will amplify inconsistency rather than resolve it. Over time, this becomes a constraint on both scale and quality.
What we are now beginning to see is a transition. More organisations are recognising that to fully realise the value of AI, they need to redesign elements of the customer journey and the supporting architecture. This includes how data is structured, how teams collaborate, and how decisions are made.
The long-term advantage will go to those who design for AI natively, rather than those who continue to retrofit it into legacy environments.
Which sectors in the UAE are genuinely ahead in turning AI into measurable business impact?
The leading sectors share a common characteristic. They are directly linking AI adoption to measurable business outcomes.
The financial services sector is a clear frontrunner. The sector operates in a highly competitive and regulated environment, which creates both the incentive and the discipline to use AI effectively. This is visible in areas such as personalised engagement, risk management, and operational efficiency.
Retail and ecommerce are also advancing rapidly, driven by the need to optimise conversion and customer experience at scale. These sectors benefit from high volumes of customer data and a strong focus on real-time interaction.
The public sector in the UAE is a leading force in this space. With a clear strategic mandate around digital transformation and innovation, AI is being embedded into service delivery, enabling more proactive, efficient, and citizen-centric experiences at scale.
What these sectors have in common is not just early adoption, but clarity of purpose, using AI to solve specific, high-value problems and embedding it into core operations rather than treating it as a standalone capability.
What will separate companies that succeed with AI from those that fall behind over the next two years?
The defining factor will be execution discipline. First, data maturity will be critical. Organisations with a unified, trusted data foundation will have a structural advantage in deploying and scaling AI.
Second, operational integration will matter more than strategy alone. The ability to embed AI into day-to-day workflows, align teams around it, and continuously refine its application will differentiate leaders from those who remain in pilot phases.
Third, trust will become a competitive differentiator. As AI becomes more embedded in customer interactions, organisations will need to demonstrate transparency, accountability, and responsible data use.
Finally, mindset will play a decisive role. The organisations that succeed will treat AI as a transformation of their operating model, not as an incremental enhancement. They will invest accordingly, build the right capabilities, and remain focused on outcomes rather than activity.
Over the next two years, AI will move from advantage to expectation. The organisations that lead will be those that translate capability into consistent, measurable value.
