Business

UAE advances regional media innovation with strategic AI workforce development

Wednesday, 19 November 2025 8:16AM UTC

The UAE Media Council emphasizes the importance of equipping Gulf media professionals with AI skills through specialised training and strategic initiatives, aiming to secure the region’s future competitiveness amid rapid technological transformation.

His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary General of the UAE Media Council, emphasised the pivotal role that equipping media professionals in the Gulf with artificial intelligence (AI) competencies plays in securing the sector’s future competitiveness. Speaking at a workshop titled “Designing the New Media Era with AI” held in Dubai, HE highlighted the necessity of ongoing initiatives, policies, and strategic frameworks to bolster the preparedness of media practitioners and enhance industry resilience across the region.

The workshop, a collaborative effort between the UAE Media Council, the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the New Media Academy, gathered experts from media, news, and marketing departments throughout the GCC. Participants received extensive training in a variety of AI tools tailored specifically for the media sector. This programme forms part of a broader endeavour aimed at promoting reliable content creation, accelerating publishing workflows, improving the calibre of regional media talent, and fostering creativity. Hands-on experiences, including field visits, were designed to cultivate leadership skills and professional readiness crucial for navigating the evolving media landscape.

HE Al Shehhi underlined that advancing media skills through cutting-edge technologies is a catalyst for innovation, which in turn attracts both local and international investment, enabling the expansion of pioneering media and creative ventures within the Gulf. He cited market research from Grand View Research forecasting that the AI in media market will reach nearly $100 billion by 2030, reinforcing the urgency for comprehensive strategies to develop the AI skillsets and leadership capabilities necessary for media organisations in the region to adopt these technologies swiftly.

Participants engaged directly with the evolution of AI applications in media, learning to harness AI tools for transforming basic content into publication-ready formats, including video, images, and text. The training also covered utilising AI outputs in research, archiving, and efficient media project management. Furthermore, the workshop placed strong emphasis on ethical editorial practices, content verification, and combating deepfakes to maintain trustworthiness and integrity in media, news, and creative sectors. A notable feature was guidance on designing personalised AI assistants to support professionals in research and creative endeavours.

In parallel developments, the UAE Media Council has issued a firm warning against the misuse of AI to create misleading depictions of public figures and national symbols, actions deemed clear violations of media content standards under UAE law. The council cautioned that such infractions could attract fines and administrative penalties and urged content creators and media bodies to uphold ethical responsibilities to prevent misinformation.

Industry data corroborates the importance of AI in reshaping media and entertainment globally. Various reports highlight robust growth projections for the AI media market, with forecasts ranging from around $99 billion by 2030 to upwards of $166 billion by 2033. The compound annual growth rates (CAGR) noted in these analyses fluctuate between approximately 22% and 27%, reflecting rapid adoption of AI in content creation, distribution, marketing, and audience engagement processes. AI's transformative effects are seen in smart content analysis, automatic image tagging, scalable personalisation, video editing automation, and more, enhancing both operational efficiency and user experience.

Similarly, the AI market within social media is expanding briskly, with valuations expected to reach several billion dollars by 2030. These tools address challenges such as information overload and content chaos, while improving targeted communication and platform capabilities.

Together, these developments underscore a clear momentum toward integrating AI deeply into the media ecosystem across the Gulf and globally. The UAE’s proactive approach through education, ethical guidelines, and strategic investment seeks to position the region at the forefront of this new media era.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (Zawya) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
^[2] (The National News) - Paragraph 7
^[3] (Grand View Research) - Paragraphs 4, 8
^[4] (PRNewswire) - Paragraph 8
^[5] (Business Wire) - Paragraph 8
^[6] (PRNewswire) - Paragraph 9
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Source: Noah Wire Services

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https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/companies-news/uae-media-council-emphasizes-role-of-ai-in-the-future-of-media-kmgq0jdh - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2025/09/25/uae-warns-against-use-of-ai-to-depict-public-figures-for-online-misinformation/ - The UAE Media Council has issued a warning against the use of artificial intelligence to depict public figures and national symbols in a manner that spreads misinformation or incites extreme views. The council emphasized that such actions are clear legal violations of media content standards and can lead to fines and administrative penalties. It urged social media users, media bodies, and content creators to adhere to the country's laws and uphold professional and ethical responsibilities to prevent the dissemination of false information.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-artificial-intelligence-ai-media-entertainment-market - According to a report by Grand View Research, the global AI in media and entertainment market is projected to reach USD 99.48 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.2% from 2025 to 2030. The report highlights the increasing popularity of virtual creation in the media and entertainment industry, which enables the production of high-definition graphics and real-time virtual worlds. AI is assisting media companies in enhancing content management across various phases, including smart content analysis, automatic image tagging, and scalable personalization.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ai-in-media-entertainment-market-worth-99-48-billion-by-2030-grand-view-research-inc-301576782.html - A report by Grand View Research, Inc. indicates that the global AI in media and entertainment market is expected to reach USD 99.48 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 26.9% from 2022 to 2030. The growth is driven by the increasing adoption of AI technologies in content creation, distribution, marketing, and audience engagement processes. AI is being utilized for smart content analysis, automatic image tagging, scalable personalization, and predictive analytics, among other applications, to enhance efficiency and user engagement in the media and entertainment sector.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251002718744/en/AI-In-Media-Entertainment-Market-Research-Report-2025-2033-Increasing-Demand-for-Content-Personalization-Video-Editing-Automation-Real-time-Measurement-and-Improved-User-Experiences---ResearchAndMarkets.com - ResearchAndMarkets.com has published a report forecasting that the global AI in media and entertainment market will reach USD 166.77 billion by 2033, up from USD 26.34 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 22.76% from 2025 to 2033. The report attributes this growth to the increasing demand for content personalization, video editing automation, real-time measurement, and improved user experiences. AI is transforming content creation, distribution, and engagement across platforms, with applications in recommendation systems, video editing, script writing, dubbing, and special effects enhancement.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-ai-in-social-media-strategic-intelligence-report-2024-market-to-reach-81-billion-by-2030---big-data-overload-accelerates-content-chaos-challenge-amid-rising-need-for-information-governance-302066368.html - A report by ResearchAndMarkets.com indicates that the global market for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media is projected to reach USD 8.1 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 20.1% from 2022 to 2030. The report highlights the growing adoption of AI, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its applications across various sectors, including social media. AI is being utilized to provide real-time information to target audiences, enhance digital capabilities of social media platforms, and address challenges related to big data overload and content chaos.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ai-in-social-media-market-size-worth-612-billion-globally-by-2028-at-2882-cagr-verified-market-research-301496641.html - Verified Market Research published a report stating that the global AI in social media market was valued at USD 0.74 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 6.12 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 28.82% from 2021 to 2028. The report attributes this growth to the increasing demand for smart homes and smart cities in developing countries, as well as the adoption of AI technology in smartphones. The integration of AI in social media is enhancing customer experience management, sales and marketing, and other applications.

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The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is recent, dated November 19, 2025, and appears to be original content without prior publication.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, suggesting potential originality or exclusivity.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from the UAE Media Council, a reputable government entity, enhancing its credibility.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims align with recent initiatives by the UAE Media Council, such as the launch of the Unified Media AI and Analytics Platform in May 2025, indicating consistency and plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is recent, original, and originates from a reputable source. Claims are plausible and consistent with recent initiatives by the UAE Media Council, indicating a high level of credibility.

AI in media
Gulf Cooperation Council
media innovation