Emerging Strategic Shifts Shaping the 2026 GCC Economy

Affirming the growth of AI in the region, a report released by PwC earlier this month stated that the usage of AI amongst the workforce in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of employees in the area utilizing it in their jobs over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the technology sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are ready to release AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent global criteria, supported by the Kingdom's information governance environment, consisting of nationwide initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the area attractive, including having more pragmatic laws to enable experimentation and development," stated the report.

Top service leaders, policymakers and investors from the GCC and Latin America just recently explored how countries from the two regions can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and worldwide policymakers, presidents, CEOs, service leaders, investors, and industry specialists went to the first Global Service Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

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In 2015 the GCC made up of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, imported $11 billion worth of items from Latin America. And exports to Latin America from the region were $5.6 billion, a declaration from organisers said. Both areas rely on each other for vital items.

In 2015 Latin America provided almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 percent of the area's total sugar imports, it added. Brazil is without a doubt the biggest trading partner for countries in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Amongst the Latin American states, the GCC counts on Brazil for meat (primarily poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for vehicles and Chile for wood items, said a statement.

The forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Shifting Synergies", explores how services can gain from the changing patterns of global demand and what function Dubai can play in assisting in the next step in service relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC but globally too, by acting as an information and research study centre, by offering company documents, offering legal services, facilitating networking opportunities by means of signature service events and delivering almost every imaginable organization option, it specified.

GCC development will strengthen in 2026, led by faster growth in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will remain solid however slow a little. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, new industries, and public investment; inflation will remain soft, while financial policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector growth will accelerate, offsetting in part lower oil rates; fiscal balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, however deficits persist somewhere else.

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SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and broader Middle East region is poised for the next wave of investments in AI and tech-led sectors, with business-friendly and innovation-focused federal government policies bring in funds and skill, stated business leaders at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Celebration (SEF 2026). During a panel discussion on the first day of SEF 2026 examining "What Does the Next Year of Endeavor Capital Look Like", speakers agreed that the emerging regional financial investment landscape appears promising.

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Reacting to a concern on local startups' prospects of benefiting from current investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC said: "We have a lot choosing us in the area: the low expense of energy, a really progressive government that is ahead in policy, guideline and information privacy; and really strong universities that are increasingly looking at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She added: "Our ultimate objective is to see this area, particularly the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our biggest driver today is buying skill, because in the AI race, it's the technical talent that actually wins."Concentrating on the attractiveness of the region for investors, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, said: "I believe we are really fortunate to onboard the three biggest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for investment in the area.

"International growth funds are can be found in, which shows clear signs of maturity of the environment The ability of the UAE and regional governments to bring in talent; their innovation-first method, abundance of capital here as well as inflow globally are the key foundation."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital said that within the region, Saudi Arabia is leading the variety of handle the greatest values, with 250 "largest ticket size" deals recorded in 2025 in the country.