Emerging Strategic Trends Shaping the 2026 GCC Economy

Verifying the growth of AI in the region, a report launched by PwC previously this month said that the usage of AI among the labor force in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of workers in the area using it in their jobs over the past 12 months.

In November, a report launched by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's development in the technology sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the nation are all set to deploy AI properly, well above the 76 percent global benchmark, supported by the Kingdom's data governance community, consisting of nationwide initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

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

Leading magnate, policymakers and investors from the GCC and Latin America just recently explored how nations from the 2 regions can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 local and global policymakers, presidents, CEOs, magnate, investors, and industry specialists went to the first Global Business Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Can Market Analytics Define Middle East Industrial Growth?

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 stated. Both regions depend on each other for vital items.

In 2015 Latin America provided almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 per cent of the region's total sugar imports, it added. Brazil is without a doubt the largest trading partner for nations in the area, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Amongst the Latin American states, the GCC depends on Brazil for meat (primarily poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for lorries and Chile for wood items, said a declaration.

The forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the theme "Moving Synergies", checks out how services can gain from the altering patterns of global need and what function Dubai can play in assisting in the next step in service relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not only in the UAE and in the GCC but worldwide too, by functioning as an info and research centre, by offering organization paperwork, using legal services, helping with networking chances by means of signature company occasions and providing almost every imaginable organization option, it specified.

GCC growth will enhance in 2026, led by faster expansion in hydrocarbons; non-oil development will remain strong but sluggish somewhat. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, new industries, and public investment; inflation will remain soft, while monetary policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector growth will accelerate, balancing out in part lower oil rates; financial balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits continue in other places.

Predicting the Next GCC Business Landscape

SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and larger 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 business leaders at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival (SEF 2026). During a panel conversation on the first day of SEF 2026 analyzing "What Does the Next Year of Equity Capital Appear Like", speakers agreed that the emerging regional investment landscape appears appealing.

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Reacting to a question on regional start-ups' potential customers of benefiting from recent financial investments in digital infrastructure, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have a lot opting for us in the region: the low cost of energy, a really progressive federal government that is ahead in policy, policy and data personal privacy; and actually strong educational institutions that are significantly taking a look at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She added: "Our supreme goal is to see this region, specifically the GCC, become an AI superpower.

Our most significant chauffeur today is investing in skill, because in the AI race, it's the technical talent that actually wins."Concentrating on the attractiveness of the area for investors, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, said: "I believe we are extremely fortunate to onboard the 3 largest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for investment in the region.

"International development funds are can be found in, which shows clear signs of maturity of the community The capability of the UAE and local governments to attract skill; their innovation-first approach, abundance of capital here in addition to inflow globally are the key building blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital said that within the area, Saudi Arabia is leading the number of handle the highest worths, with 250 "biggest ticket size" offers tape-recorded in 2025 in the nation.