Emerging Strategic Shifts Shaping the 2026 GCC Economy

Verifying the development of AI in the area, a report launched by PwC earlier this month said that the usage of AI among the workforce in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of staff members in the area using it in their jobs over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report launched by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the technology sector and stated that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are all set to deploy AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent international standard, supported by the Kingdom's information governance environment, consisting of national initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the region appealing, including having more pragmatic laws to permit experimentation and development," said the report.

Top organization leaders, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America just recently checked out how countries from the two regions can grow trade between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and global policymakers, presidents, CEOs, company leaders, financiers, and industry experts attended the very first Global Company Forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Will Strategic Analytics Drive Dubai Industrial Growth?

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 said. Both regions rely on each other for important products.

In 2015 Latin America supplied almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 per cent of the area's total sugar imports, it included. Brazil is without a doubt the biggest trading partner for nations in the area, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Amongst the Latin American states, the GCC relies on Brazil for meat (primarily poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for vehicles and Chile for wood products, said a statement.

The online forum was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the theme "Moving Synergies", checks out how companies can take advantage of the changing patterns of worldwide demand and what role Dubai can play in assisting in the next action in company relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not only in the UAE and in the GCC but internationally too, by serving as an info and research centre, by offering company documentation, using legal services, assisting in networking chances through signature company occasions and providing nearly every imaginable business option, it mentioned.

GCC development will strengthen in 2026, led by faster expansion in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will stay solid however slow slightly. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, new markets, and public financial investment; inflation will remain soft, while monetary policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector development will speed up, balancing out in part lower oil prices; financial balances will be combined, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits continue somewhere else.

Can Market Analytics Define Dubai Industrial Success?

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 attracting funds and talent, said organization leaders at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Celebration (SEF 2026). During a panel discussion on the very first day of SEF 2026 taking a look at "What Does the Next Year of Endeavor Capital Look Like", speakers concurred that the emerging regional investment landscape appears appealing.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Reacting to a concern on local start-ups' prospects of benefiting from recent financial investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Handling Partner of Wyld VC said: "We have so much choosing us in the region: the low expense of energy, a very progressive government that is ahead in policy, policy and information privacy; and truly strong universities that are increasingly looking at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She included: "Our ultimate objective is to see this region, particularly the GCC, become an AI superpower.

Our most significant chauffeur today is purchasing skill, since in the AI race, it's the technical skill that really wins."Focusing on the attractiveness of the area for financiers, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, said: "I think we are extremely fortunate to onboard the three largest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for financial investment in the region.

"International development funds are being available in, which reveals clear signs of maturity of the environment The capability of the UAE and regional governments to bring in skill; their innovation-first technique, abundance of capital here as well as inflow internationally are the key structure blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital stated that within the region, Saudi Arabia is leading the number of offers with the greatest worths, with 250 "largest ticket size" offers recorded in 2025 in the nation.