Could the Middle East's burgeoning creativity, with over 1.4 million content creators, be further fueled by innovation? Can AI supercharge this creative scene? Will the region's creative industry see significant growth with 52% of small businesses already leveraging AI and 83% planning to use it for improved user experience? 

The answer, as we delve into 2025, points to a resounding yes, as AI art tools are increasingly becoming indispensable for Middle Eastern creators.

The Middle East is on an unprecedented boom in its creator economy, driven by a high number of independent content creators, aspiring influencers, and supportive regional initiatives, such as Saudi Vision 2030 and the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy. This landscape provides fertile ground for the widespread adoption of AI art tools for artists.

As we observe the AI art tools Middle Eastern creators are using in 2025, a clear trend emerges: the integration of AI for increased efficiency, enhanced creativity, and real-time support. With 56% of businesses investing in conversational AI technology for real-time agent support, it is obvious that AI is not just about content generation, but also about streamlining workflows and improving interaction, a benefit keenly felt by both individual creators and businesses alike.

The Sandy Times will explore the best AI tools for digital art and AI tools for creators in MENA. But before that, here’s one more question with its answer for you.

The Middle East and AI art maker market are growing rapidly as digital transformation and increasing AI adoption energise creative industries. By 2025, the region is poised to be a global hub for AI art tools and innovation, thanks to significant government initiatives and a flourishing creative ecosystem.

If you skim the economic impact of AI, it is also undeniable, with projections of a $15.7 trillion addition to the global economy by 2030. Recognising this, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are strategically positioning themselves as AI leaders through ambitious initiatives. 

The UAE National AI Strategy 2031 aims for AI to contribute $91 billion to its economy. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia plans to hit a $135.2 billion injection by 2030. This proactive approach is transforming Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha into thriving hubs for startups and technological advancement, fostering widespread adoption of AI art tools used in UAE and across the MENA region.

The dynamic art-tech community actively fuels this growth by embracing NFTs and hosting AI exhibitions. The region's strong NFT activity, particularly in Dubai, complements the rise of generative AI tools for artists. Major events like the World AI Expo Dubai 2025 and the Ai Everything Global Summit & Expo in Abu Dhabi showcase the latest in digital art AI platforms and highlight how artists utilise AI in the Middle East.

Crucially, dedicated education programs and robust funding opportunities are nurturing this creative tech ecosystem. Programs like the IE Centre for Leadership and Innovation in Riyadh and startAD in Abu Dhabi provide essential support for creative startups. Grants from organisations like the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture and the Qatar Foundation, alongside the thriving EdTech market, are equipping the next generation with the skills to master the best AI apps for creatives in 2025.

Continue reading, as we've compiled a list of AI art tools for 2025 to share with you.

1. Midjourney v6 — For stylised generative visuals

In 2025, Midjourney V6 stands out among AI art tools for creators. This alpha version redefines AI-generated imagery, giving remarkable realism and detail. One of its most exciting features is its ability to render legible text within images, a common challenge for previous AI tools. V6 empowers AI tools for graphic designers and artists with enhanced control and efficiency, solidifying its position as a leading digital art AI platform for professional and creative projects in the MENA region and globally.

2. Adobe Firefly — AI-enhanced design and photo edits

Adobe Firefly is emerging as an ultimate creative AI solution for artists in 2025, going beyond just images to include video, audio, and vector graphics. Its "Generative Fill" feature allows seamless photo editing. Adobe Firefly lets users add, remove, or expand content with simple prompts. What sets Firefly apart is its training data, composed of Adobe Stock as well as openly licensed and public domain images. This ensures you have commercially safe creations. This makes it a flexible and legally sound choice for diverse creative projects, from artwork to social media assets, streamlining workflows for both professionals and hobbyists.

3. Runway ML — For video, animation, and image manipulation

RunwayML has dramatically advanced AI video generation, moving far beyond earlier, often unsettling, AI-generated clips. In 2025, its Gen-3 Alpha model empowers creators to generate videos from text prompts, static images, or other videos. It is a complete suite of AI tools for artists, offering not only cutting-edge video generation but also robust AI video editing features, such as background removal and colour grading. RunwayML's innovative creative suite streamlines monotonous tasks, providing pixel-perfect multitrack video and audio functionality, real-time collaboration, and advanced editing, making it an indispensable tool for video production and animation.

4. Canva AI — Accessible design tools with AI templates

Canva AI has become an indispensable platform for creators, democratising design with its incredibly accessible design tools and AI-powered templates. Beyond simple image creation, Canva's AI suite, "Magic Studio," helps you to generate diverse content, including documents, social media posts, and even interactive elements with AI-generated code. Features like "Magic Write" assist with creating long-form content, while "Magic Grab" and "Magic Edit" offer intuitive photo editing tools. Canva's user-friendly interface, combined with its robust AI templates, makes professional-quality visual communication achievable for everyone, streamlining workflows for artists and graphic designers across the Middle East.

5. DALL·E 3 — Creative image generation with text prompts

Unlike predecessors, DALL·E 3 demonstrates a remarkable understanding of nuanced details, transforming concepts into precise visuals. DALL·E 3 significantly enhances the creative generation of images from text prompts. Its direct integration with ChatGPT allows users to collaborate, refining prompts seamlessly from simple phrases to elaborate descriptions. This collaboration empowers artists to articulate their vision, get customised prompts and easily request modifications. Consequently, the final output aligns perfectly with their creative intent, showcasing a leap forward in intuitive, AI-driven art.

6. Procreate + AI plugins — For iPad creators in MENA

For iPad creators in MENA, the synergy between Procreate and third-party AI plugins is unlocking unprecedented creative potential. While Procreate emphasises artists' skill and privacy, AI integration through external apps on the App Store transforms workflows. These AI tools for artists, such as Recraft.AI for seamless patterns or PixelSquid for 3D objects, act as powerful assistants, generating textures, patterns, or initial concepts. This allows artists to easily import assets into Procreate, then refine and develop them with Procreate's robust tools.

7. Leonardo AI — High-quality illustration and concept art

Leonardo AI is revolutionising digital art AI platforms for creators in MENA, offering top-tier functionalities for producing distinctive, production-ready materials. This generative AI tool for artists allows users to leverage pre-trained AI models or easily fine-tune their own with just a few clicks, generating countless variations from their training data. As one of the best AI tools for digital art in 2025, Leonardo AI empowers artists to iterate endlessly and maintain a cohesive style, making it ideal for high-quality illustration and concept art. Its robust features make it a standout among AI art tools used in UAE, enabling artists to unleash creativity like never before.

The MENA region is rapidly embracing generative AI, showcasing diverse and innovative applications. While organisations are still navigating the path to maximising benefits, several key areas highlight how AI tools for creators in MENA are gaining traction, defining the landscape of AI art tools 2025.

UAE-based digital artists using AI for commercial design are at the forefront of this revolution. Driven by a digital art scene, with figures like Nourie Flayhan in Dubai, they are leveraging AI tools for artists to explore new styles, create textures and produce initial design concepts. This allows for rapid iteration and efficiency, making AI tools for graphic designers invaluable in a competitive market. The Theatre of Digital Art in Dubai exemplifies the embrace of digital art AI platforms.

Meanwhile, Saudi creators are using AI for gaming and NFT art, a strategically significant vertical. With a robust gaming market and heavy investment in eSports and game development, AI-driven NPCs are enriching experiences, and gaming startups are keenly interested in next-generation AI gaming innovations. Furthermore, NFTs are empowering local artists to assert rights and find new markets for their work, with many lining up to tokenise their creations, showcasing how artists use AI in the Middle East to redefine ownership and reach.

Finally, Qatar’s interest in AI for museum exhibits and education marks a significant step in integrating advanced technology into cultural engagement. Qatar Museums has launched innovative AI-powered digital tours at institutions like the National Museum of Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art. These best AI apps for creatives in 2025 utilise advanced AI models to offer personalised, interactive experiences, making art and culture more accessible and engaging for a wider audience, and positioning Qatar as a leader in digital innovation within the cultural sector.

The Middle East is fast evolving into a global AI powerhouse, with significant opportunities arising alongside crucial ethical considerations. While initial adoption of AI has been swift, the region is now focused on maximising its benefits.

Opportunities and ethical questions are at the core of this transformation. AI offers substantial potential for economic diversification, reducing reliance on oil revenues by fostering innovation in sectors like healthcare, education, and finance. It promises economic growth through new business models and services. 

However, this growth necessitates addressing concerns about data privacy and security, particularly given various regional regulations. Ensuring bias and fairness in AI algorithms is paramount in a region with diverse ethnic and cultural groups to prevent the perpetuation of societal inequalities. 

Additionally, the apprehension of job displacement due to automation necessitates proactive strategies for workforce reskilling, and the ethical implications of autonomous weapons and social manipulation through AI are crucial points to consider.

A key strength lies in cultural adaptation and the development of Arabic-language models. Despite only 0.6% of web content being in Arabic, compared to 52.1% in English, the Middle East has seen remarkable advancements. The UAE's open-source model, Falcon, and G42 and Cerebras' Jais have notably outperformed global tech giants in Arabic language tests. 

Saudi Arabia is also collaborating with Huawei and launching initiatives like HUMAIN to develop advanced Arabic LLMs. This focus on culturally sensitive and linguistically adept AI art tools is vital for widespread adoption and relevance.

Strong institutional support from Saudi Arabia and the UAE innovation hubs bolsters this progress. The UAE, a leader in AI adoption, established the world's first Minister of State for AI in 2017 and aims for global AI leadership by 2031 with its National AI Strategy. Initiatives like Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) are attracting and training top talent. 

Saudi Arabia's National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence aims to attract $20 billion in investments by 2030, acquiring 3,000 Nvidia H100 chips and fostering an AI ecosystem with entities like SDAIA and its trailblazing AI chatbot, Allam. 

In a nutshell, both nations are making significant financial investments, attracting top talent, and creating enabling ecosystems to position themselves at the forefront of AI research and development, influencing how artists use AI in the Middle East.