Digital technology is set to redefine family life in the United Arab Emirates, with 92 percent of residents believing digitalization will fundamentally reshape shared family activities over the next decade, according to a global survey by Kaspersky’s market research center.
The findings suggest that technology will increasingly influence both everyday routines and major family milestones, reshaping how relatives connect, celebrate, and spend time together.
More than half of respondents in the UAE (53 percent) expect AI-powered bedtime stories to become a normal part of daily life. The survey also indicates changing attitudes toward companionship, with 33 percent of families anticipating that children may prefer digital pets to real ones in the future.
The transformation is expected to extend beyond the home. Around 65 percent of respondents predict that family celebrations will commonly take place over video calls, while 41 percent believe vacations could occur entirely in virtual reality environments. Nearly half (48 percent) foresee home robots evolving from household tools into fully integrated members of the family.
Despite the optimistic outlook, Kaspersky cautioned that increased digital adoption must be accompanied by strong cybersecurity and privacy practices. The study, conducted in November 2025, surveyed 3,000 respondents across 15 countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The company advises parents to select digital services with robust privacy policies, avoid unnecessary storage of children’s data, and use parental-control tools to manage content access and screen time. Additional recommendations include changing default passwords, regularly updating device firmware, and segmenting home networks to reduce security risks.
Seifallah Jedidi, Head of Consumer Channel for META at Kaspersky, said the results reflect a broader shift in how families experience togetherness. He noted that technology is not fragmenting families but redefining shared spaces, blending digital and physical experiences in new ways.
Jedidi added that the key challenge will be building secure digital environments that strengthen connections while protecting users, particularly children, as technology becomes more deeply embedded in everyday family life.
