DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – 80% of IT leaders surveyed in the UAE plan to grow their tech teams in the next 12 months as the IT talent landscape evolves at pace, according to the Equinix 2023 Global Tech Trends Survey. The survey, which gathered views from 2,900 global IT decision makers on the challenges and opportunities shaping businesses worldwide, comes after a year of significant AI breakthroughs that saw the technology rapidly deployed in applications across both the business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors.

“The role of IT has transformed from being a back-end function to becoming a critical business enabler. This evolution has triggered a pressing need for IT professionals to expand beyond technical expertise for well-rounded business acumen and softer skills. With advancements in automation and AI taking over routine IT infrastructure management tasks, IT talent can focus on high-value business growth outcomes,” said Milind Wagle, Chief Information Officer at Equinix.

The advancement of technology, including the rise of advanced AI systems and generative AI, has increased the demand on IT systems. This has raised questions about the ability of existing IT teams to handle these new requirements. With tech and associated business needs continuing to advance, it is no surprise there is a breadth of IT skills required to future-proof the teams at the helm of this progress. Globally, 57% of IT decision makers reported that their team size grew in the last two years. Talents in AI and machine learning are notably in demand, while IT leaders are planning a reduction in hardware engineering (25%) and data analysis (24%) focus areas.

“AI is being used across diverse business functions in the UAE from IT Operations to cybersecurity and sales. With this uptake, there is a significant shift in the landscape of IT and operations, which has elevated its position from a mere backend operation to a pivotal driver of business success. As automation and AI continue to revolutionize routine IT infrastructure management, these innovations empower IT professionals to channel their efforts into cultivating high-impact business advancements.” said Kamel Al-Tawil, Managing Director, Equinix MENA.

The survey confirmed AI uptake is on the rise across all industry sectors, with 85% of respondents worldwide seeking to benefit from the advantages of AI and already using or planning to use it across multiple key functions. In the UAE, businesses are most likely to be using AI, or planning to do so, in IT operations (97%), followed by cybersecurity (95%)  To keep up with the growing reliance on IT, organizations must prioritize IT in their future planning and strategies. As IT systems evolve, so does the workforce supporting them. Data suggests IT teams are growing and will continue to grow rapidly to meet the demand for crucial system operations and security.

A full copy of the report can be found here.

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About the Survey

The independent study, commissioned by Equinix, surveyed more than 2,900 IT decision-makers in diverse enterprises across the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, U.S.), Asia-Pacific (Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea), and EMEA (Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK). Respondents were selected for participation from Dynata's online panel. The survey was conducted online between March 20, 2023 and April 07, 2023.

About Equinix

Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world’s digital infrastructure company®. Digital leaders harness Equinix’s trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals.

Forward-Looking Statements

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