Coursera and Udemy Global Skills Report: UAE Ranks Sixth in AI-Human Skills Synergy Index

Coursera and Udemy released the Global Skills Report 2026, introducing the first AI-Human Skills Synergy Index covering 98 countries. The UAE ranked sixth, the highest in the Middle East, behind only Germany, France, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. The report said global generative AI enrolments rose 132% year on year and critical thinking enrolments rose 107%.

The index expands AI talent development from technical training alone to a combination of AI skills with human skills such as critical thinking and complex problem-solving, offering a comparable public indicator for countries assessing AI education provision and talent readiness. For education product practitioners, the shift in enrolment structure shows learner demand moving toward supporting cognitive skills alongside tool use; for schools and teachers, the 40% weight on government readiness indicates policy infrastructure remains a condition for AI education deployment. The report also notes the data reflect platform learners rather than whole populations and do not show workplace outcomes, so rankings cannot be equated directly with a country's overall AI education level. Education authorities and AI talent development bodies can use the index to compare their position in AI and human skills synergy and adjust curricula and policy priorities. Online education platforms can reference the growth structure of generative AI, critical thinking and micro-credential enrolments to judge course supply directions.