
IBM's Lula Mohanty on why UAE businesses are ahead in AI adoption
Developed by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation, the report reveals that UAE businesses lead the world in appointing Chief AI Officers (CAIOs), a sign that organisations here see AI not just as a tech upgrade, but as a critical enabler of future growth.
In an exclusive interview with
Gulf Business
, Lula Mohanty, managing partner for IBM Consulting across the Middle East and Africa, shared her insights on the regional implications of the study and how IBM is helping organisations operationalise AI at scale.
Read the full story
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
23 minutes ago
- Zawya
Oman's electricity generation grows by 12.6%
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman's total electricity generation recorded a significant growth of 12.6 percent by the end of May 2025, reaching 18,948.9 gigawatt per hour. This is an increase from 16,829.3 gigawatt-hours during the same period in 2024, according to preliminary data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). Al Dakhiliyah Governorate's electricity generation increased to 1,760.7 gigawatt-hours by the end of May 2025. Musandam Governorate also saw electricity generation rise by 19.2 percent, totalling 185.8 gigawatt-hours, while electricity generation in Muscat Governorate increased by 5.5 percent to 116.7 gigawatt-hours. In North and South Al Sharqiyah Governorates, electricity generation reached 3,831.7 gigawatt-hours, marking a 4.1 percent growth. Total production in North and South Al Batinah and Al Dhahirah Governorates was approximately 10,501.6 gigawatt-hours, an increase of 1.3 percent compared to the same period last year. In contrast, Dhofar Governorate recorded a decrease of 4 percent in electricity generation amounting to 2,281.5 gigawatt-hours. Electricity generation in Al Wusta Governorate also slightly declined by 0.7 percent, reaching 60.4 gigawatt-hours. Statistics showed that Oman's net electricity generation—which includes purchases by the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company and the Rural Areas Electricity Company—increased by 13.1 percent to 18,483.1 gigawatt-hours by the end of May 2025, compared to 16,339.3 gigawatt-hours at the end of the same period last year. On the other hand, the quantity of water produced in Oman saw a slight decrease of 0.9 percent by the end of May 2025, reaching approximately 206.5989 million cubic metres, compared to 208.5631 million cubic metres during the same period in 2024. © Muscat Media Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Zawya
23 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi Aramco second-quarter net profit drops 22% on lower revenues
DUBAI - Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco reported a 22% drop in second-quarter profit on Tuesday, mainly due to lower revenue. The world's top oil exporter reported a net profit of $22.7 billion in the three months ended June 30, missing a company-provided median estimate from 17 analysts of $23.7 billion. (Reporting by Yousef Saba; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)


Zawya
23 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi PMI slips to in July as business activity expansion hits lowest level in over 3 years
Saudi Arabia's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) slipped in July with business activity expansion hitting its lowest level in 3.5 years in the non-oil sector, and optimism at the lowest recorded level since July 2024. The Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia PMI slipped to 56.3 in July, down from 57.2 in June, on the back of a slowdown in new orders growth and business confidence easing, according to the survey. Higher competition and lower customer footfall weighed on businesses further, while some panellists reported difficulties in gaining new foreign clients, leading to a decrease in new export orders for the first time in nine months. While July recorded inventory growth amongst manufacturers and wholesale and retail firms, new input purchases rose at a much slower pace compared to June. Delivery times shortened on balance; however, the rate of improvement eased sharply due to customs delays. Despite concerns, work on existing projects and incoming new orders helped to sustain growth, the report added. 'Businesses continued to see improved demand, but competitive pressures and more cautious client spending weighed on the pace of expansion,' Naif Al-Ghaith, Chief Economist at Riyad Bank, said. 'External demand was also softer, while purchasing activity rose at a slower pace.' Non-oil sector firms reported an uplift in employment levels in July, citing domestic demand conditions, signalling 'the fastest uplift in over 14 years,' the report said. Input price pressures across the Saudi Arabian non-oil sector was strong during July, the survey stated, although the rate of inflation slowed slightly from the second-quarter average. Rising input costs resulted in a markup in prices charged for the second month running. Expectations for future activity softened notably from June's two-year high in July. Al-Ghaith said firms expect activity to pick up over the coming year, supported by steady demand, strong pipelines, and ongoing investment tied to Vision 2030. (Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Brinda Darasha)