Photo Credit : WAM
startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based startup accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at New York University Abu Dhabi, has introduced the AI Adoption Barometer, a new benchmarking tool designed to help healthcare and social impact organisations adopt artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively.
Developed under the AI for Good initiative with support from Google.org, the Barometer offers the UAE’s first practitioner-led assessment of AI adoption across the healthcare and social impact sectors. The report is based on insights gathered from 52 organisations operating across the UAE.
The findings reveal strong momentum in healthcare, with 81 percent of surveyed organisations already identifying AI use cases, while 58 percent are actively piloting or deploying AI solutions. However, the research also highlights a key challenge, as 42 percent of respondents said they have no dedicated AI budget, underscoring the gap between AI ambition and organisational readiness.
In the social impact sector, many organisations remain at an earlier stage of adoption, focusing on identifying suitable AI applications and developing the internal skills and governance needed to implement the technology responsibly.
To support organisations throughout their AI journey, startAD has also released two practical implementation guides. The AI Use Case Discovery Playbook helps teams identify and validate AI opportunities without requiring technical expertise, while the Evaluate and Pilot AI Solutions Playbook provides a structured framework for selecting, testing, and implementing AI projects within existing operations.
Both playbooks, together with the AI Adoption Barometer, are available through the new startAD AI Resource Hub, offering organisations practical tools to benchmark progress and make informed AI investment decisions.
Ashwin Joshi, Director of startAD, said the AI for Good programme was created to help mission-driven organisations move beyond interest and towards practical AI adoption by providing accessible, step-by-step guidance tailored to different stages of AI maturity.
Anthony Nakache, Managing Director of Google MENA, said the initiative demonstrates that meaningful AI adoption does not always require significant financial resources or advanced technical expertise, adding that the project aims to improve healthcare accessibility for underserved communities across the UAE.
Since its launch, the AI for Good programme has engaged five organisations through 13 AI readiness workshops, increased AI readiness levels by 43 percent overall, and involved nearly 200 university students and AI solution builders from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider MENA region.
