The UAE has ranked first globally for citizen satisfaction with digital government services. According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2026 Citizen Survey, 89% of respondents gave the services a high rating. The survey covered 44 countries and 48,500 respondents.
The findings were released during AI Everything Abu Dhabi and highlight the UAE’s strong position in digital public services. The country also ranked first globally in government digital service usage, with a 53% score.
The survey found that 76% of UAE respondents said their latest online government transaction provided a better experience than their typical interaction with a private-sector organization. The UAE was also the strongest performer among the GCC countries on this measure, ahead of Saudi Arabia at 74% and Qatar at 68%.
The wider GCC also recorded strong results. It was the only surveyed region where a majority of citizens rated government digital services higher than private-sector services. However, the gap is narrowing. The net share of GCC respondents rating government services above private-sector services fell from 75% in 2024 to 69% in 2026.
The change reflects improving digital experiences across private-sector platforms. The UAE’s latest result builds on its wider digital government progress. The country has developed unified platforms and digital identity systems to give residents access to government services through online channels.
The survey also points to growing AI adoption among UAE residents. 82% of UAE respondents said they use AI weekly, while 53% said the benefits of AI in government outweigh the risks. The comparable figures were 49% across the GCC and 36% globally. Across the GCC, 79% of citizens said they are open to AI-centred government interactions, compared with 66% globally.
The region also showed strong support for AI handling routine government tasks. At the same time, citizens are showing a preference for a mixed approach. 50% of GCC respondents prefer AI for simple services while people handle more complex interactions. This preference has increased by 9 percentage points over two years.
“The GCC has a strong opportunity to translate its digital leadership into the next generation of AI-enabled government services,” said Dr. Lars Littig, Managing Director & Senior Partner at BCG. “As citizens become more familiar with AI, building literacy and trust will be critical to sustained adoption.”
BCG identified job loss and accuracy as leading concerns around AI in government services. The findings point to the need for safeguards, public reporting and human oversight as governments expand AI-enabled services.
Also Read: PhonePe Enters UAE Payments Race: What its New Licences Mean for Digital Transactions