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UAE ready to be powered by AI

Dubai - Research shows potential adoption rate among nation's consumers significantly higher than global averages

Imagine a society powered by artificial intelligence: seamless transactions, robots everywhere and basically a happy life thanks to innovation.
It sounds so sci-fi-esque. But for a majority of consumers in the UAE, their message is clear: bring it on.
Findings from Accenture's 2017 Digital Consumer Survey reveal that those in the UAE are ready to embrace AI technologies, with 76 per cent of users comfortable with an AI application responding to their query, while 68 per cent have interacted with computer-based apps in the past 12 months.
And here's why we say the UAE is ever ready: those figures lord it over the global averages of 44 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively.
Respondents gave very good reasons why they're ready for such a change: eight out of 10 (82 per cent) say the availability of AI at any time was the key reason they prefer it over human interaction, while three-fourths (74 per cent) say AI engagements are faster and more polite than talking to a living soul.
"The fact that more and more UAE consumers are comfortable using voice assistants, gesture control and eye movement on mobile devices and at home is encouraging for the devices and services markets ? and is helping make this the year when artificial intelligence goes mainstream," said Gerardo Canta, leader of Accenture's communications, media and technology operating group in the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Turkey.
This is no surprise: the findings are in line with some of the innovative applications and aspirations for AI in the country. In Dubai, for example, AI will provide the intelligence for one of the world's first flying taxi services powered by a drone by the end of this year. And the UAE AI/Robotics Good Award is fostering creative innovations that will deliver life-changing benefits in healthcare, education and humanitarian aid.
The survey found out more interesting numbers, all of which point to growing interest in AI.
Forty-four per cent of respondents say that they are interested in using a voice-enabled digital assistant embedded in smartphones or PCs, 29 per cent say they would love to use a standalone voice-enabled digital assistant device, while 51 per cent think personalised services based on digital voice-enabled assistants are 'cool'.
"While just a few short years ago many customers resisted chatbots and other computerised customer service features, now 76 per cent are comfortable with an AI application responding to their query," the report added.These numbers, including those above, are significantly ahead of the global averages, and even besting industrialised nations such as the United States, the UK and Singapore.
"The UAE is leading the adoption of digitisation and innovation, and Dubai in particular is at the forefront of introducing smart services," Mechelle Buys Du Plessis, managing director for the Middle East at Dimension Data, told Khaleej Times.
"We are seeing the emergence of AI not only in government services, but in consumer services and in the workspace. Driven by the example set by the Dubai Smart Government, UAE consumers have an increased appetite for AI in their everyday lives.
An never mind if AI is still a nascent segment; there are those willing to use it, because of the potential conveniences it brings to the table.
"Whilst AI technology is still in its infancy, it is sufficiently advanced to be working its way into companies in the form of virtual assistants, and, in certain industries such as banking, virtual tellers and virtual advisors," Du Plessis added.
And the perceived benefits of AI also rank high among UAE consumers: 82 per cent say it's 'available anytime', 74 per cent claim 'very polite interactions' and 74 per cent say 'faster engagement'. All of which are, as usual, higher than global averages.
"Engaging experiences are spurring demand for smart devices and the employment of new technologies, with the UAE bucking global average trends," the report added.
The research also identified augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as driving up purchase intent for smartphones, smart glasses and VR headsets. In the UAE, the demand for these technologies now stands at 68 per cent, 55 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively, compared to the averages of 56 per cent, 42 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively.
The two reasons UAE respondents gave most often for this demand were an interest in learning new skills and techniques using AR and VR (36 per cent) and meeting others virtually (34 per cent).
The report also found that UAE respondents are more interested in hyper-personalised services than their global counterparts, with nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of UAE consumers saying that tracking online behaviour and shopping history helps provide them with a more personalised experience, compared with only 40 per cent of all respondents globally.
Respondents say that the most useful services that would use personal information to provide a customised experience are entertainment (56 per cent), events (54 per cent), home-mood atmosphere (52 per cent) and fashion (47 per cent).
New access models are also eagerly awaited by UAE consumers, who have a "strong interest... and are more knowledgeable of what is coming next".
Embedded cards - which is better known as electronic SIMs or e-SIMs - are an example: 44 per cent of UAE respondents are aware that these will be available in the future ­- that compares to the second-ranked US, with only 40 per cent in the know. Eighty-six per cent in the UAE, meanwhile, say they are interested in using an e-SIM-powered device.
When it comes to interactions - both at home and on-the-go - 64 per cent in the UAE say they'd like to use voice control, 62 per cent say they'd go for gesture control and 50 per cent would prefer eye movement.
However, there are concerns on security - and this is a no-brainer.
"Despite companies' efforts and successes in increasing data security, UAE consumers' confidence in the security of their personal data is still quite low," the report says.
And to build trust, a huge majority of UAE consumers want one thing: that they be in control of their data and manage it themselves.
The study showed that 83 per cent say it's important for them to review and control their personal online data, while 79 per cent refuse to do business with a company that has unclear or unsafe privacy policy settings. Forty per cent would share data with companies if safeguards for data protection are in place, while 59 per cent expect data protection and security will improve within the next five years.
It just goes to show that UAE consumers won't just go into something because it's the in-thing or the future - they are responsible enough to know the risks and how to protect themselves from any potential threats.
"Companies have an unprecedented opportunity to tap ongoing advances in AI and machine learning to be much more dynamic as new trends emerge," the Accenture report said.
"Seize the opportunity to build further trust, being more transparent to create a strong relationship with consumers. Greater transparency is required as consumers now expect to be able to control what data is shared with whom. Make data security 'personal' and 'easy' to drive adoption of new devices and services."
With inputs from Sandhya D'Mello
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com