UAE lands top 10 spot for resilience in Oliver Wyman’s The Industry 5.0 Index
Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm, has released The Industry 5.0 Index – a new benchmark that ranks over 90 countries around the world based on their ability to use new technologies to extend beyond productivity and profits to contribute to societal wellbeing.
Developed by the Oliver Wyman with the University of California, the Industry 5.0 Index looks at how ready countries are for what many call the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which focuses on using technology to support people’s wellbeing, protect the environment, and build stronger, more resilient economies.
To come to its ranking of countries, the researchers analyzed 30 measures across three pillars: Talent, Sustainability, and Resilience. Talent looks at digital and AI skills and how workers are prepared for the future labor market, Sustainability covers green innovation, environmental protection and progress towards a circular economy, while Resilience focuses on supply chains, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
The UAE
The United Arab Emirates ranks 34th overall in the Industry 5.0 Index, but notably, in the Resilience pillar, the UAE landed a top 10 position. Three Asian countries lead the Resilience pillar: South Korea, Singapore and Japan.
According to Borko Handjiski, Partner with Oliver Wyman and author of the report, the UAE’s high ranking reflects strong investment in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“The UAE continues to distinguish itself as one of the most ambitious adopters of future technologies. By developing sovereign AI capabilities, building world-class digital infrastructure, and investing heavily in skills and clean energy, the UAE is positioning itself as a regional – and increasingly global – leader in the Industry 5.0 era.”
In its report, Oliver Wyman and the University of California delve into several ways how the UAE is putting Industry 5.0 into practice.
The UAE is for instance placing AI at the heart of a more diversified economy, with the bold ambition to become a global AI leader. The country’s AI plan estimates the technology will generate roughly $91 billion in economic growth, while government strategists reportedly forecast that AI could contribute around 20% of the UAE’s non-oil GDP by 2031.
Abu Dhabi meanwhile plans to become the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027, moving to sovereign cloud infrastructure and automating all government processes. “For residents and businesses, this should mean faster, more personalized public services and less time spent on paperwork, while public-sector workers gain new digital skills and tools,” state the authors.
To ensure the adoption of AI is widespread and successful, the UAE is investing heavily in upskilling workers. More than 22,000 people have joined the national AI summer camp, and 83% of UAE residents say they use AI at work at least once a week, compared with a global average of 61%.
At the same time, the UAE is keen on mitigating risks of emerging technologies such as AI through the development of a robust digital infrastructure and cyber defenses people can rely on. Stargate UAE is set to be one of the world’s largest AI data-centers, giving government bodies and businesses access to powerful AI models and serving users across a 3,000-kilometer radius.
“Alongside plans for a nationwide 6G network by 2030 and a top-10 global ranking for enforcing cybersecurity laws, this increases the reliability and security of the digital services people and companies use every day.”
Additionally, the huge amount of power needed to fuel the AI boom is provided in a sustainable manner. To support AI without driving up emissions, the UAE is investing heavily in clean energy. For example, the UAE has announced a world-first solar-plus-battery facility designed to provide 1 gigawatt of renewable power around the clock, worth more than $6 billion.
“Projects like this are intended to shift most of the UAE’s energy supply to clean sources, so that the growth in AI and data centers goes hand in hand with progress on climate goals.”
And finally: the UAE is implementing AI holistically, which is essential for the technology to reach its potential while contributing to economy, society, and communities.
Other Middle Eastern countries ranked in The Industry 5.0 Index include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Oman, and Jordan. Across all three pillars, Western European countries lead the index, holding the top 9 spots.
