Navigating the 2026 GCC Business Landscape

Affirming the development of AI in the region, a report launched by PwC previously this month stated that the use of AI among the labor force in the Middle East continues to rise, with 75 percent of staff members in the area using it in their tasks over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's development in the technology sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are prepared to deploy AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent worldwide benchmark, supported by the Kingdom's information governance community, including national initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are thinking holistically about how to make the area attractive, consisting of having more practical laws to permit for experimentation and growth," said the report.

Leading company leaders, policymakers and investors from the GCC and Latin America recently explored how nations from the two areas can grow trade between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and international policymakers, heads of state, CEOs, business leaders, financiers, and market specialists participated in the first Global Company Forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

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In 2015 the GCC comprised of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, imported $11 billion worth of goods from Latin America. And exports to Latin America from the area were $5.6 billion, a statement from organisers stated. Both areas rely on each other for essential items.

In 2015 Latin America supplied almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 percent of the area's total sugar imports, it added. Brazil is by far the biggest trading partner for nations in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC relies on Brazil for meat (generally poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for lorries and Chile for wood items, said a statement.

The online forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the theme "Shifting Synergies", explores how businesses can take advantage of the altering patterns of international need and what function Dubai can play in facilitating the next step in organization relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC but worldwide too, by acting as a details and research centre, by providing business documentation, using legal services, helping with networking chances by means of signature organization events and delivering almost every imaginable company service, it stated.

GCC development will reinforce in 2026, led by faster growth in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will stay strong but sluggish slightly. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, brand-new industries, and public investment; inflation will remain soft, while financial policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector growth will speed up, balancing out in part lower oil prices; financial balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits persist in other places.

Methods for Optimising Regional Strategy in 2026

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

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Responding to a concern on local start-ups' prospects of benefiting from recent investments in digital infrastructure, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have so much going for us in the area: the low cost of energy, a very progressive government that is ahead in policy, policy and information personal privacy; and truly strong universities that are significantly taking a look at AI and ending up technical skill in AI."She added: "Our ultimate goal is to see this region, specifically the GCC, become an AI superpower.

Our greatest chauffeur right now is purchasing skill, since in the AI race, it's the technical skill that really wins."Focusing on the appearance of the area for financiers, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, stated: "I think we are very lucky to onboard the three biggest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for financial investment in the region.

"International growth funds are can be found in, which shows clear signs of maturity of the community The capability of the UAE and regional governments to draw in talent; their innovation-first method, abundance of capital here in addition to inflow internationally are the crucial structure blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital stated that within the area, Saudi Arabia is leading the variety of offers with the highest worths, with 250 "biggest ticket size" offers recorded in 2025 in the nation.