DUBAI, UAE, 26 March 2026 — Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the world’s #1 AI CRM, today released findings from the United Arab Emirates as part of its Tenth Edition State of Marketing Report. The research, based on responses from 100 marketing decision-makers across the UAE, reveals a market that is embracing AI with greater confidence than global counterparts, yet facing significant data integration challenges that limit personalization effectiveness.
UAE Marketers Show Strong Confidence in AI
The UAE findings reveal a marketing community that has moved rapidly to embrace artificial intelligence.
- 86% of UAE marketers say AI is raising customer expectations (matching global average)
- 85% trust AI to respond to customer inquiries (vs. 81% globally)
- 73% run generic campaigns (vs. 84% globally)
- 41% have not adapted their strategies to AI (vs. 48% globally)
These figures indicate stronger personalization efforts and faster adaptation to AI in the UAE compared to global markets.
Data Integration Remains a Critical Challenge
Despite strong AI adoption, UAE marketers face a major challenge in accessing customer data for meaningful engagement.
- 78% of UAE marketers struggle to respond promptly to customers (vs. 69% globally)
- Siloed data across channels is the top barrier to AI-driven personalization
- Other challenges include lack of overall strategy and difficulty scaling quality control
This gap between AI ambition and data reality represents the central challenge for marketing organizations in the UAE.
Shifting Customer Expectations in the UAE
The research highlights evolving customer expectations in the region:
- 76% of UAE marketers report customers expect two-way conversations (vs. 83% globally)
- 61% struggle to keep up with changing customer behaviors (vs. 64% globally)
While expectations are rising, the ability to deliver personalized, real-time engagement remains limited.
UAE vs Global Marketing Trends
When comparing UAE marketers to global counterparts, several key patterns emerge:
- Stronger personalization: 73% run generic campaigns vs. 84% globally
- Higher AI trust: 85% vs. 81% globally
- Greater responsiveness challenge: 78% vs. 69% globally
- Faster AI adaptation: 41% vs. 48% not yet adapted
- Slightly better alignment with customer behavior: 61% vs. 64%
Expert Insight
Mohammed Alkhotani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Salesforce Middle East and Africa said,
“The UAE has always been at the forefront of embracing transformative technologies, and our marketing community’s confidence in AI reflects this forward-thinking mindset. However, the research clearly shows that technology adoption alone is not enough. The marketers who will win in this new era are those who can unify their data to deliver the personalized, conversational experiences that customers increasingly demand. Data is the foundation upon which all AI success is built.”
AI Reshaping the Marketing Landscape
The research underscores how AI is fundamentally transforming marketing:
- 50% of Google searches now feature AI summaries
- AI and AI agents drove $262 billion in global sales during the holiday season
- This accounted for 20% of global orders
Top AI use cases in UAE marketing include:
- Personalizing content
- Generating copy
- Predicting campaign performance or ROI
Key Barriers to Personalization
- Lack of overall strategy
- Siloed data across channels
- Difficulty scaling quality control
The analysis reveals that UAE marketers are ahead of the curve in AI trust and adaptation, but face similar or greater challenges in data integration and customer responsiveness. This suggests that while the UAE market is quick to adopt new technologies, the foundational data infrastructure may need additional investment to fully realize AI’s potential.
