Snowflake, the AI Data Cloud company, brought together data and AI leaders from across the Middle East at its flagship Data for Breakfast event to explore how enterprises can deploy agentic AI through trusted data foundations. As UAE and KSA organisations accelerate enterprise AI adoption, the event addressed a growing regional priority of moving beyond pilots and building governed, scalable systems that are capable of delivering measurable business impact.
AI adoption is now widespread across the GCC, with 84% of organisations using it in at least one business function, but only 11% reporting a meaningful impact on earnings. The gap reflects a reality where AI is widely deployed, but not yet fully embedded in core operations such as decision-making and revenue processes. This shaped the key theme at Data for Breakfast, as enterprises still need stronger alignment between data strategy, operating models, and commercial outcomes.
Snowflake’s suite of AI solutions, such as Snowflake Intelligence, aims to target this challenge head-on. The AI tool has evolved into a personal work agent for business users that understands the full context of an organisation’s business data, with built-in trust, governance, and security. Unlike typical copilots, Snowflake Intelligence is designed to operate directly across enterprise data and systems. Recent enhancements enable users to automate routine workflows through natural language, connect AI experiences with tools such as email, calendars, collaboration platforms, and CRM systems, and access the AI tool on-the-go through an iOS mobile app.
Michel Nader, General Manager for META, Snowflake, said: “Across the Middle East, AI has become central to national competitiveness, digital transformation, and future-ready economic growth. Organisations in the UAE and KSA are now focused on building data foundations that can support scalable, governed, and measurable AI. Data for Breakfast demonstrates how the Snowflake AI Data Cloud gives enterprises a practical path to unlock business value, strengthen decision-making, and advance secure agentic intelligence across the organisation.”
One of the UAE’s pioneering insurers, Emirates Insurance Company, joined Data for Breakfast to share how it supercharged its insurance operations through a bold digital transformation powered by stronger data foundations. The customer discussed how a new data platform in Snowflake has been set up during the last nine months, with a first go-live in just three months, which enhanced quote-to-bind processes, built a more standardised operations workspace with stronger SLAs, improved claims transparency, and supported faster decisions, greater operational visibility, and automation across the business.
Carlos Piedade, Head of Digital Strategy and Transformation, Emirates Insurance Company, said: “With Snowflake, our goal was to build strong data foundations while delivering value to the business. Our data platform is becoming the brain of Emirates Insurance Company, helping us understand customers, brokers, performance, and risk, while Snowflake’s capabilities and roadmap support our ambition to scale AI architecture, advance underwriting, and disrupt the UAE insurance sector.”
Snowflake continues to expand its regional commitment through skills and development initiatives, including the Saudi expansion of its One Million Minds programme, which aims to enable thousands of Saudi learners by 2030 through applied data and AI training. Delivered with key national partners, the programme supports Vision 2030 by helping build practical capabilities for KSA’s digital economy as the region accelerates investment in data, AI, competitiveness, digital government, workforce readiness, and productivity.
Through Data for Breakfast, Snowflake reinforced the role of governed data architecture as the foundation for enterprise intelligence, helping organisations move from isolated AI use-cases toward connected systems that can support stronger decisions, faster operations, and long-term business growth.