UAE ranks first globally in citizen satisfaction with government digital services
Version 2: Later coverage from Gulf News, Emirates 24|7 and Arabian Business added outlet confirmation of the top ranking and new survey details, including that only about 4% of GCC respondents prefer human-only government services.
In short
The UAE ranked first globally in citizen satisfaction with government digital services, with 89% of respondents rating them highly, according to Boston Consulting Group’s 2026 Digital Government Citizen Survey Report. The survey, covering 44 countries, also put the UAE first in digital government service usage at 53% and found 82% of UAE respondents use AI weekly. On AI in government, 53% of UAE respondents said benefits outweigh risks, compared with 49% across the GCC and 36% globally.
Read the full story 2 min read
The UAE ranked first globally in citizen satisfaction with government digital services, with 89% of respondents rating them highly, according to Boston Consulting Group’s sixth annual 2026 Digital Government Citizen Survey Report. The report was launched on the first day of AI Everything Abu Dhabi under the title “After a Decade of Digital Gains, AI Is Reshaping Citizens’ Expectations in the GCC”, WAM and other outlets reported. The National said the findings were released on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The survey was conducted across 44 countries. The documents said the UAE also ranked first globally in government digital service usage at 53%, and that 76% of UAE respondents said their latest online government transaction delivered a better experience than their typical private-sector interaction. The National reported that the Gulf — represented by the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — was the only region surveyed in which a majority of citizens rated government services as better than the private sector. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
On AI, 82% of UAE respondents reported using AI weekly, the documents said. 53% of UAE respondents believe AI’s benefits outweigh its risks, compared with 49% across the GCC and 36% globally. The National reported further breakdowns: Saudi Arabia at 50% and Qatar at 46%, Europe at 27%, North America at 30% and Asia-Pacific at 37%. It added that the Gulf is the most “AI-receptive” region, with almost 80% of citizens open to government interactions powered by AI, compared with 66% globally. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The documents also point to shifting attitudes. Optimism about AI in government among GCC citizens has declined by 21% since 2024, according to the report. GCC citizens increasingly favour AI for simpler services while keeping human involvement for more complex ones, the documents said, describing a shift toward a more hybrid model of service delivery. WAM and Emirates 24|7 reported that only around 4% of GCC respondents prefer human-only services. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Rami Mourtada, a partner and director for digital transformation at BCG, said: “The UAE’s strong digital government experience reflects years of investment in making public services more accessible, seamless and responsive to citizens’ needs.” [ 1 , 2 ]
The National reported that the survey was based on about 48,500 responses; the other documents do not give the sample size. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The report gives the UAE a stated foundation for expanding AI-enabled public services and shows Gulf respondents more receptive to AI in government than global peers. It also records a 21% decline in GCC optimism since 2024 and a preference for keeping human involvement in complex services, pointing to a hybrid model. Its 44-country scope offers a benchmark of digital government satisfaction beyond the region.
Key facts
- The UAE ranked first globally in citizen satisfaction with government digital services, with 89% of respondents rating them highly, according to BCG’s 2026 Digital Government Citizen Survey Report. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The survey was conducted across 44 countries. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The UAE ranked first globally in government digital service usage at 53%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 76% of UAE respondents said their latest online government transaction delivered a better experience than their typical private-sector interaction. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 82% of UAE respondents reported using AI weekly. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 53% of UAE respondents believe AI’s benefits outweigh its risks, compared with 49% across the GCC and 36% globally. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The report was launched on the first day of AI Everything Abu Dhabi. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Optimism about AI in government among GCC citizens declined by 21% since 2024, according to the report. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The UAE ranked first globally in citizen satisfaction with government digital services, with 89% of respondents rating them highly, according to BCG’s sixth annual 2026 Digital Government Citizen Survey Report. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The survey was conducted across 44 countries. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The UAE ranked first globally in government digital service usage at 53%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- More than three-quarters of UAE respondents (76%) said their latest online government transaction delivered a better experience than their typical private-sector interaction. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 82% of UAE respondents reported using AI weekly. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 53% of UAE respondents believe AI’s benefits outweigh its risks, compared with 49% across the GCC and 36% globally. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The report was launched on the first day of AI Everything Abu Dhabi under the title “After a Decade of Digital Gains, AI Is Reshaping Citizens’ Expectations in the GCC”. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Optimism about AI in government among GCC citizens declined by 21% since 2024. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Only around 4% of GCC respondents prefer human-only services. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The survey was based on about 48,500 responses. Only The National gives the sample size; the other documents do not state it.
- Country and regional AI-attitude breakdowns: Saudi Arabia 50%, Qatar 46%, Europe 27%, North America 30%, Asia-Pacific 37%. Only The National reports these figures; other documents give only the UAE, GCC and global numbers.
- The Gulf is the most “AI-receptive” region, with almost 80% of citizens open to AI-powered government interactions, compared with 66% globally. Single-source claim from The National; not repeated by other documents.
- The report’s methodology, margin of error and full set of findings. The documents are truncated or limited to summaries and do not detail these.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Economy Middle East publishes its report on the BCG survey findings. [ 1 ]
- The National reports the results, citing BCG’s release at the AI Everything summit in Abu Dhabi. [ 2 ]
- WAM publishes its official report on the survey. [ 3 ]
- Emirates 24|7 publishes the survey findings. [ 4 ]
- Gulf News reports the UAE’s first-place ranking, a day after the launch. [ 5 ]
- Arabian Business publishes a short summary of the BCG survey. [ 6 ]