Job opportunities in the UAE’s information technology (IT) sector will rise as 80% of IT leaders plan to augment their teams in the next 12 months, according to the Equinix 2023 Global Tech Trends survey. 

The advancement of technology, including the rise of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems and generative AI, has fuelled a surge in demand for IT systems.

As a result, 57% of IT decision-makers globally reported an expansion in their team sizes within the last two years. Talents in AI and machine learning are notably in demand. However, tech leaders plan to reduce hardware engineering (25%) and data analysis (24%) focus areas.

“AI is being used across diverse business functions in the UAE from IT operations to cybersecurity and sales. With this uptake, there is a significant shift in the landscape of IT and operations, which has elevated its position from a mere backend operation to a pivotal driver of business success,” said Kamel Al-Tawil, Managing Director, Equinix MENA.

The survey confirmed AI uptake is on the rise across all industry sectors, with 85% of respondents worldwide seeking to benefit from AI advantages, with many integrating or planning to use it across multiple key functions. 

In the UAE, businesses are most likely to use AI or plan to do so in IT operations (97%), followed by cybersecurity (95%).

The survey is based on insights from 2,900 global IT decision-makers on the challenges and opportunities shaping businesses worldwide.

However, 232,650 employees at 979 tech companies worldwide have lost their jobs in the year until August 30, 2023, according to the layoffs tracking site Layoffs.fyi.  

(Editing by Brinda Darasha; brinda.darasha@lseg.com)