UAE: The UAE leads Arab States in its access to, and use of, information and communications technology (ICT), according to findings of the 2025 Network Readiness Index (NRI) published by Portulans Institute in a new partnership with the World Governments Summit. The UAE ranked 26th globally, thanks to impressive levels of investment in and adoption of future technologies.

The NRI is one of the leading global indices on the application and impact of ICT in economies across the world. In this latest version, “AI Governance in a Global Context: Policy and Regulatory Approaches”, the NRI maps the network-based readiness landscape of 127 economies on their performances across four pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, with each pillar comprised of three sub-pillars, and a further 53 variables. 

The UAE exhibits exceptional strengths in Access to digital infrastructure (5th) and openness to Future Technologies (6th), particularly in mobile network coverage (1st), Internet access in schools (1st), and the adoption of emerging technologies (3rd). The country excels in Government promotion of emerging technologies (2nd) and digitized public services (16th). The UAE's digital infrastructure benefits from affordable handset prices (1st) and strong international internet bandwidth (15th). However, there is room for improvement in Regulation of digital technologies (50th), especially when it comes to privacy protection by law content (125th).

Rafael Escalona Reynoso, CEO of the Portulans Institute and co-editor of the NRI said: “The NRI 2025 highlights that digital readiness outcomes increasingly reflect differences in governance quality and institutional execution rather than income level alone. This dynamic is particularly evident in the governance of advanced digital technologies, including AI, where regulatory coherence, public-sector capacity, and implementation choices shape how effectively technological adoption translates into system-wide economic and social outcomes.”

The Arab States include three economies with outstanding digital performance as compared to income level, with Morocco and Jordan surpassing expectations in Technology, People, and Governance, and Tunisia exceeding expectations in Technology and People. Saudi Arabia ranks second in the region and is 34th globally, followed by Bahrain (36th), Qatar (50th), and Oman (59th). Overall, 12 Arab State nations feature in this year’s NRI.

Reflecting on this year’s theme, Bruno Lanvin, co-editor of NRI, said: “The AI race has entered a new phase. This phase is characterized by the collision of two trends: The now widespread consensus on the transformative power of AI on productivity, employment, innovation and competitiveness; and divergent approaches about AI’s business models (closed or open), and governance (ethical, environmental, informational). Such divergences need to be reconciled before the next wave of changes gathers momentum in technology (quantum computing), society (acceptance, education) and the global economy (access, energy).”

The Network Readiness Index

Origins of the NRI: Initially launched in 2002 by the World Economic Forum, the NRI was redesigned in 2019 by its founders and co-editors, Soumitra Dutta and Bruno Lanvin, to reflect how technology and people need to be integrated within an effective governance structure in order to have the right impact on our economy, society and the environment. This 2025 edition marks the seventh edition of the redesigned model of the NRI.

The NRI model recognises the pervasiveness of digital technologies in today’s networked world and therefore rests on four fundamental dimensions: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact. This holistic approach means that the NRI covers issues ranging from future technologies such as AI and Internet of Things (IoT) to the role of digital transformation in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).