Google has revealed the findings of its 2024 Economic Impact Report for the UAE. The report, developed in partnership with research agency Public First, highlights how Google’s products and services contributed an estimated AED 21.8 billion to the UAE economy last year.

According to the report, AI-powered tools such as Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Ads helped individuals, businesses, and communities across the country.

 Google reported that its Search and Ads products alone generated AED 20.2 billion in business-related economic activity in the UAE in 2024.

Anthony Nakache, Managing Director for Google in the Middle East and North Africa, stated that the findings reflect Google’s role in supporting the UAE’s transition to an AI-enabled and diversified digital economy. He added that Google’s local investments, AI tools, and strategic partnerships are contributing to long-term growth.

The report also noted Google’s skilling initiative, Maharat Min Google. Since its launch in 2018, the program has trained over 430,000 individuals in essential digital and AI skills across the UAE.

In addition, the Android and Google Play app ecosystem supported the creation of 30,000 jobs in 2024. Google reported that AED 455 million in revenue was generated by the Android App Economy for UAE-based developers last year.

Public First’s findings were based on a mix of consumer and business polling, case studies, economic modeling, and third-party data. The report assesses Google’s impact in three areas: people, businesses, and communities.

Among consumers:

• Google services generated an estimated AED 683 per month in average consumer benefit.
• 63% of adults in the UAE said they used Gemini, Google’s AI assistant.
• 90% agreed Gemini helped them be more productive.
• 71% said Gemini was easier to use in Arabic than other AI chatbots.

Further insights showed that 50% of adults considered Google Search essential to daily life. Around 89% found Google Maps or Waze useful for navigation, while 90% said contactless payment options like GPay or GWallet made life easier.

For businesses:

• 91% of UAE businesses used at least one AI tool in their workflows.
• 73% of people aged 18–24 used Google Search weekly to browse or shop online.
• 86% checked Google reviews monthly before visiting venues.
• 94% used Google Search monthly to compare prices.
• 97% of public sector workers said Google AI tools improved their work productivity.

The report also touched on the broader content ecosystem. Google reported that over 600 YouTube channels in the UAE had more than one million subscribers in 2024, reflecting a 15% year-on-year growth. Additionally, the Google News Initiative trained over 20,000 journalists and journalism students in the MENA region, including in the UAE.

The Economic Impact Report underlines how Google’s digital tools are playing a role in the UAE economy by supporting job creation, digital skills development, and business productivity.

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