Workday’s Dubai office is now open as the company launches its UAE operations, a year after it first said it planned to enter the Middle East with a local base. Workday’s October 1 announcement pairs the launch with survey findings that 90% of UAE employees use AI at least weekly.
Workday says the new office, dedicated regional operations, and expanded local leadership will create a hub for customer engagement, partnerships, and hiring.
Workday Dubai office moves beyond the 2025 plan
Workday first announced plans to enter the Middle East and open a Dubai office on 30 September 2025. The company’s original announcement described a dedicated sales team and local leadership. Tbreak covered that plan at the time; the new release marks the move from an announced plan to launched operations.
Workday says the Dubai hub is intended to help organisations modernise HR and finance and use AI in their operations. The Workday Dubai office is the only facility identified in the release; it gives no headcount, local customer names, or details about product availability or data arrangements.
“But lasting value depends on trust, human oversight, and continued investment in skills,” said Zakaria Haltout, Workday’s group vice president for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
What Workday’s UAE AI survey says about time saved
The new release says AI use has become routine among employees surveyed in the UAE. The figures below are Workday’s reported findings, not an independently measured productivity audit.
| Finding | Workday-reported figure |
|---|---|
| Employees using AI at least weekly | 90% |
| Employees using AI multiple times a week | 58% |
| Employees using AI every working day | 18% |
| Average time saved through AI each week | 3.6 hours |
| Average weekly time spent correcting or rewriting AI output | 3.4 hours |
| Use savings for training, upskilling or reskilling | 32% |
| Use AI efficiencies to handle more work without more staff | 33% |
| Use savings mainly for cost reduction | 24% |
Workday says another 32% direct efficiencies go toward workload management, flexibility, and employee wellbeing, while 0.2% report no meaningful time or cost savings. The release does not state the survey’s sample size, field dates or methodology, or whether the reinvestment responses overlap.
The 3.6 hours saved and 3.4 hours spent reworking AI output are separate averages. Without the survey design and respondent-level data, you shouldn’t subtract them to produce a net productivity figure.
UAE businesses are adopting AI, but the measures differ
A separate AWS and UAE Artificial Intelligence Office survey found that 72% of UAE businesses had adopted AI, up from 53% a year earlier, according to Fast Company Middle East. Tbreak’s report on that research also noted that only 31% of adopters were deploying what the report classified as advanced AI.
The 72% figure counts businesses that have adopted AI; Workday’s 90% figure counts employees who say they use it weekly. The surveys ask different questions and should not be treated as a direct comparison. Together, they point to widespread adoption, but the practical question is whether use changes the work being done.
Workday’s separate January 2026 global study surveyed 3,200 employees and found nearly 40% of AI time savings were lost to rework. That report also came from Workday, so it is company research rather than an independent check of the UAE findings; its published methodology is more detailed than the October UAE release.
What UAE buyers still need to ask
For organisations weighing Workday, the launch provides a local point of contact, but not a full picture of the service. Buyers will still need to confirm which products are available in the UAE, how customer data is hosted, what local support covers, and what pricing and integrations look like.
The release frames the office as a long-term investment in the region and links it to demand for AI, HR and finance tools. It gives no customer names or deployment timelines. Those details will show how the new local operation translates into services for UAE organisations.
Does Workday’s UAE launch confirm its platform is available to every UAE customer?
No. The release confirms Workday has launched local operations and opened a Dubai office, but it does not specify product availability, customer deployments, UAE pricing or data-hosting arrangements. Buyers should confirm those details with the company.
Are Workday’s 90% employee figure and the 72% UAE business figure measuring the same thing?
No. Workday’s survey measures employees who say they use AI weekly; the separate AWS and UAE Artificial Intelligence Office research measures businesses that have adopted AI. The percentages cover different subjects and use different definitions, so they aren’t directly comparable.
What should UAE organisations ask Workday before evaluating its platform?
They should ask which products are available locally, how customer data is hosted, what local support covers, and how pricing and integrations work. The October announcement does not answer those implementation questions.
Can the 3.6 hours saved and 3.4 hours spent correcting AI output be treated as net savings?
Not from the information released. They are separate reported averages, and Workday does not provide the sample size, survey design or respondent-level data needed to calculate a net time gain.
