Abu Dhabi launches Digital Economy Survey to measure AI and technology’s contribution to the economy

Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has launched the Digital Economy Survey to strengthen the measurement of digital economic activities and provide a clearer picture of the contribution of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital business models to Abu Dhabi’s economy.

The survey targets businesses operating across key areas of the digital economy, including e-commerce and digital platforms, financial technology and digital financial services, software and cloud services, transport and delivery platforms, data services and digital infrastructure.

It will collect data on digital revenues, the use of emerging technologies and the role of digital business models in economic activity, helping establish a statistical baseline to track the development of Abu Dhabi’s digital economy.

Abdulla Gharib Alqemzi, Director-General of SCAD, said the initiative forms part of the Centre’s efforts to modernise Abu Dhabi’s economic measurement framework and complements the comprehensive revision of the emirate’s gross domestic product time series announced in May 2026.

He said the survey will provide data to capture better digital economic activities and their contribution to Abu Dhabi’s economy, helping official statistics reflect changes in the economic structure and meet decision-makers’ needs.

The Digital Economy Survey also supports the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to increase the digital economy’s contribution to national GDP from 9.7 percent in 2022 to 19.4 percent within 10 years.

Its findings will complement Abu Dhabi’s official economic statistics and provide a stronger evidence base to support economic diversification, competitiveness, investment and sustainable growth.