The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi has integrated artificial intelligence into its statistical products to provide deeper insights for policymakers and investors in the industrial sector, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency. This move aligns with broader efforts to use advanced technology for predictive modelling and trend analysis that can identify opportunities in manufacturing and related industries. The centre’s initiative focuses on transforming raw data into actionable intelligence that helps gauge market demands and investment viability across Abu Dhabi’s expanding industrial landscape. Officials at the centre emphasised how these AI tools improve the accuracy and timeliness of economic indicators relevant to industrial growth.
Figures from the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi placed the emirate’s real GDP at AED 306 billion in the second quarter of 2025, with non-oil sectors contributing 57 percent of the total and growing by nearly 7 percent year on year. Manufacturing emerged as the largest non-oil contributor during that period, adding AED 30 billion and representing almost 10 percent of GDP, the centre’s data showed. Such performance underscores the industrial sector’s rising role in economic diversification, a trend the centre’s new AI capabilities aim to support through better forecasting and competitiveness assessments. The authority’s latest release highlighted how these tools can help track supply chain efficiencies and investment returns in real time.
Data published by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed that the emirate’s artificial intelligence sector expanded 61 percent between June 2023 and June 2024, reaching 673 companies and positioning Abu Dhabi as the fastest-growing AI hub in the Mena region. The chamber noted that 150 new AI firms launched in the first half of 2025 alone, driven by strategic investments and infrastructure development. This surge complements the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi’s efforts, as the increased presence of AI enterprises creates demand for precise statistical support in industrial applications ranging from advanced manufacturing to logistics optimisation.
A study published in the Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development that cited Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi data projected artificial intelligence would contribute more than AED 24 billion to the emirate’s GDP by 2030 while generating over 5,000 high-skilled jobs in related fields. The research aligned these gains with Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071, noting AI’s role in process automation and operational efficiency across industry. Such forecasts reinforce the value of the centre’s AI-driven statistical enhancements in guiding industrial policy and attracting foreign direct investment.
The Observer’s inaugural AI Cities Index ranked Abu Dhabi as the top city in the Mena region and 11th globally, crediting strong performance in operating environment, public investment and development pillars, according to a report by Aletihad News Center. The index evaluated 57 cities across 50 indicators, placing Abu Dhabi fifth worldwide for governance and institutions linked to artificial intelligence strategies. These rankings highlight the emirate’s readiness to deploy AI in sectors like industry, where the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi’s contributions can further elevate competitiveness on international benchmarks.
Khaleej Times reported that Abu Dhabi is advancing a Dh250 billion investment programme in energy and water infrastructure through 2035 to meet rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and industrial expansion. A senior official indicated that AI infrastructure alone could require up to five gigawatts of power in later phases, linking energy planning directly to industrial competitiveness goals. The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi’s AI tools are positioned to analyse such interdependencies, providing data that informs both investment decisions and sustainability measures in the industrial domain.
