87% of UAE Organizations Prioritize Cybersecurity Investment

As organizations across the United Arab Emirates navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape, technology investment strategies for the next 12 months reveal a clear and deliberate focus. According to data from KPMG’s UAE Tech Report 2026, UAE enterprises are aggressively prioritizing fundamental digital capabilities such as cybersecurity, modern delivery, and artificial intelligence, while taking a highly targeted approach to emerging frontier tech.

Rather than spreading capital thinly across hype-driven innovations, Gulf leaders are strengthening their core operational architecture to build a resilient, scalable base for future growth.

The Core Pillars: Protection, Speed, and Intelligence

The top investment priorities for UAE organizations reflect an enterprise posture focused on operational resilience and execution speed, outstripping global averages in key baseline categories:

• Cybersecurity (87% UAE vs 76% Global): Standing firmly as the single highest priority, 87% of UAE organizations plan to increase cybersecurity investments over the next year. As digital footprints expand and regional cyber threats grow more sophisticated, securing infrastructure is recognized as a non-negotiable prerequisite for innovation.

• Modern Delivery (81% UAE vs 73% Global): Modern development frameworks—including Agile, DevOps, and Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC) platforms—rank second at 81%. UAE firms are heavily backing tools that shorten software release cycles and democratize app development across non-technical teams.

• AI and Automation (80% UAE vs 76% Global): Artificial intelligence (including Generative AI) and automation remain a board-level priority for 80% of local enterprises, driven by the need to automate complex workflows and elevate operational efficiency.

• Data and Analytics (76% UAE vs 73% Global): Clean, actionable data infrastructure sits at 76%, serving as the essential foundation required to power AI tools and advanced business intelligence.

Cloud, Digital Twins, and Emerging Technologies

Beyond core IT infrastructure, UAE enterprises display strong interest in industrial digital capabilities. Advanced simulation and digital twins are prioritized by 71% of UAE firms (compared to 72% globally), driven by regional investments in smart cities, megaprojects, and advanced manufacturing. Edge computing also sees robust regional alignment at 67% (vs. 66% globally).

Interestingly, for broader cloud and XaaS platforms, the UAE sits slightly below the global threshold at 64% (vs. 70% globally), reflecting a market where foundational cloud migration is already well underway and focus has shifted toward optimization.

A similar trend appears across highly specialized or long-horizon technologies:

• VR/AR/XR & Spatial Computing: 64% UAE vs 69% Global

• Web3, Blockchain & Tokenization: 63% UAE vs 65% Global

• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): 49% UAE vs 66% Global

Actionable Takeaway for Tech Leaders

The takeaway for business leaders and tech vendors is clear: the UAE market is not merely chasing bleeding-edge novelty. Instead, regional enterprises are deploying a balanced, pragmatic investment strategy. They are placing their heaviest financial bets on cybersecurity, delivery speed, and AI-driven automation to safeguard and optimize today's revenue, while selectively funding digital twins and edge technologies to secure tomorrow's competitive edge.