NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 23 – Manufacturers in the United Arab Emirates are adopting industrial artificial intelligence (AI) faster than the global average, according to a new study by Schneider Electric.

The 2026 Industrial AI in CPG Study: UAE, released during Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa in Abu Dhabi on September 16, found that 23 percent of UAE manufacturers consider AI a core part of their operations, compared with 16.3 percent globally.

The study also found that 59 percent of UAE manufacturers expect AI to have a transformational impact on their organisations by 2030, compared with 42.2 percent globally. Cybersecurity was identified as a top priority by 38 percent of manufacturers as AI adoption expands.

“Industrial AI is moving from experimentation to deployment. What distinguishes the UAE is not only the pace of adoption, but the confidence manufacturers have in AI’s ability to improve productivity, efficiency and resilience,” said Walid Sheta, President for MEA Zone at Schneider Electric.

“The next challenge is ensuring those deployments are secure, scalable and capable of delivering measurable business outcomes,” Sheta said.

More than 2,500 government officials, industry experts, customers, partners, students and media representatives attended the two-day summit, which focused on the growing link between energy, AI and industrial software.

Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum said the increasing use of AI was also creating greater demand for electricity and supporting infrastructure.

“We are entering an Era of Intelligence in which AI is becoming embedded in the physical economy. AI may be digital, but it runs on electricity and depends on the physical systems beneath it,” Blum said.

He said Schneider Electric was working with customers to connect energy and industrial operations through data, software, AI and automation.

The summit also focused on grid modernisation, electrification, data centres and cybersecurity, with discussions examining how AI can improve industrial operations, energy use and digital infrastructure.

During the summit, the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism and Schneider Electric signed an agreement to launch the NEST Accelerator Programme, a 12-week initiative targeting early-stage startups in energy technology, industrial technology and enterprise AI across the Middle East and Africa.

The summit also featured the launch of a 3,000-square-metre Innovation Hub in Abu Dhabi, showcasing technologies covering infrastructure design, construction, operation and maintenance.

The event was attended by UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and French Ambassador to the UAE Marie Audouard, alongside Schneider Electric executives and industry leaders.