UAE: 80% of recruiters believe GCC jobs will be affected by AI

Eight out of 10, 80 per cent, of recruitment executives in the Gulf region believe that today’s jobs are likely to be affected while 19 per cent say that more than half of their tasks would be affected by Generative AI (artificial intelligence), according to a new survey.

Nearly one-third, 3 per cent, of GCC firms believe that their HR teams are well-equipped to spearhead the integration of AI into HR functions. While a similar percentage of firms believe that their HR departments are not ready to deal with this change and they need upskilling and digital training, said the findings of the “HR Priorities with AI in the Workplace – Mena Perspectives 2025” study conducted by SHRM and Department of Human Resources, Ras Al Khaimah Government.

The study found that this gap is most pronounced in the education and public services sectors.

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“HR is at the forefront of one of the most significant workplace transformations in modern history. As artificial intelligence becomes integral to business operations, the role of HR evolves from traditional practices to data-driven, strategic decision-making. This research empowers HR professionals to anticipate and act on the profound shifts that AI will bring,” said Achal Khanna, CEO of SHRM East.

“HR teams are more accustomed to traditional processes and may lack the technical literacy required to implement AI-driven solutions. These organisations must prioritise training programmes that provide HR professionals with the digital skills and knowledge needed to work effectively with AI technology,” said the study.

Vivek Arora, managing director of SHRM Mena, said it is not that the jobs will be lost due to AI, but they will need to evolve.

“AI is bringing a lot of change for HR executives, as the role of human HR managers is going to change. These people will have to evolve,” he said.

Top priorities

Talent acquisitions and retention will be the top priority of the human resources executives in the GCC over the next two years, followed by employees’ well-being and talent development, according to the survey.

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