UAE IT Leaders Embrace Experience Economy, Digital Maturity, and AI-driven IT Skills
A recent survey conducted by Juniper Networks has provided insights into the digital maturity, value of intelligent networks, and importance of AI-driven IT skills among IT leaders in the UAE. The survey, conducted among 304 IT decision makers across various sectors, aimed to understand their understanding of the experience economy and the strategic influence it has on IT investments.
The experience economy refers to a shift in focus from selling products or services to providing memorable and transformative experiences for customers. According to the research findings, 60% of UAE respondents believed their organization’s C-level leadership had a thorough understanding of the concept, while 92% stated that their organizations were already capitalizing on the experience economy.
The survey highlighted three key themes: digital maturity, the value of an intelligent network, and AI-driven talent and skilling. In terms of digital maturity, 45% of respondents considered their organizations to be leaders in digital transformation, while only 8% believed their organizations were lagging behind. The survey also revealed that 38% of UAE respondents had already invested in capable IT infrastructure to provide optimized and personalized experiences to employees and customers.
However, the survey also identified challenges to delivering digital experiences that matter to customers. Budget constraints were highlighted by 29% of respondents as the primary challenge, followed by a lack of digital strategy and planning, as well as buy-in from C-level leadership, both mentioned by 23% of respondents.
The value of investing in an intelligent network was emphasized in the research findings. Almost all respondents (99%) believed that their organization’s C-level leadership considered the network to be critically important or important in capitalizing on the experience economy. Additionally, 98% of respondents believed that automation of networks was crucial for success in the experience economy.
The survey also revealed the importance of talent and skill building in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). A majority of respondents (97%) believed that their IT team members were skilled or highly skilled in leveraging AI-driven networking solutions. Furthermore, AI, analytics, and cloud were regarded as positive enablers of better digital user experiences and business efficiency.
In conclusion, the survey conducted by Juniper Networks sheds light on the readiness of UAE organizations in embracing the experience economy and advancing their digital maturity. It underscores the significance of investing in intelligent networks and developing AI-driven IT skills to succeed in the digital era.
