Navigating the 2026 Middle East Business Environment

Affirming the growth of AI in the region, a report launched by PwC earlier this month said that the usage of AI among the labor force in the Middle East continues to rise, with 75 percent of workers in the region using it in their tasks over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the innovation sector and stated that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are prepared to release AI properly, well above the 76 percent worldwide standard, supported by the Kingdom's data governance ecosystem, including national efforts led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are thinking holistically about how to make the region attractive, consisting of having more pragmatic laws to permit experimentation and growth," stated the report.

Top magnate, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America recently checked out how countries from the two areas can grow trade between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 local and international policymakers, heads of state, CEOs, company leaders, financiers, and market experts went to the first Global Organization Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

How to Scale GCC Strategy in 2026

In 2015 the GCC comprised 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 stated. Both regions count on each other for important products.

In 2015 Latin America provided almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 percent of the area's overall sugar imports, it included. Brazil is by far the largest trading partner for countries in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Amongst the Latin American states, the GCC counts on Brazil for meat (generally poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for cars and Chile for wood items, said a declaration.

The forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Moving Synergies", checks out how businesses can take advantage of the changing patterns of worldwide need and what function Dubai can play in facilitating the next action in company relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC but worldwide too, by serving as an information and research study centre, by offering service paperwork, offering legal services, facilitating networking opportunities by means of signature service events and delivering practically every conceivable service service, it stated.

GCC growth will enhance in 2026, led by faster expansion in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will remain solid however sluggish somewhat. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, new markets, and public financial investment; inflation will stay soft, while monetary policy will loosen up. Hydrocarbons sector development will accelerate, offsetting in part lower oil rates; financial balances will be blended, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits persist in other places.

Driving Regional Corporate Growth through Innovation

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

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Responding to a concern on local start-ups' potential customers of taking advantage of current investments in digital infrastructure, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Handling Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have so much choosing us in the region: the low cost of energy, a really progressive federal government that is ahead in policy, regulation and information privacy; and actually strong universities that are progressively looking at AI and ending up technical skill in AI."She added: "Our ultimate objective is to see this area, particularly the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our biggest driver right now is investing in talent, due to the fact that in the AI race, it's the technical skill that truly wins.

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