Predicting the 2026 GCC Business Environment thumbnail

Predicting the 2026 GCC Business Environment

Published Aug 25, 26
4 min read


Affirming the growth of AI in the area, a report released by PwC previously this month said that the usage of AI amongst the workforce in the Middle East continues to rise, with 75 percent of staff members in the region using it in their tasks over the past 12 months.

In November, a report launched by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's development in the innovation sector and stated that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are ready to deploy AI properly, well above the 76 percent worldwide benchmark, supported by the Kingdom's data governance ecosystem, consisting of national initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Expert System Authority.

Policymakers are thinking holistically about how to make the region appealing, including having more practical laws to permit experimentation and growth," said the report.

Leading service leaders, policymakers and investors from the GCC and Latin America just recently explored how countries from the two areas can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and global policymakers, presidents, CEOs, magnate, investors, and market experts went to the very first Global Organization Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Accelerating Regional Industrial Expansion through Strategy

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 declaration from organisers said. Both areas rely on each other for important products.

In 2015 Latin America provided nearly half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 per cent of the region's total sugar imports, it included. Brazil is without a doubt the biggest trading partner for countries in the area, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC relies on Brazil for meat (primarily poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for lorries and Chile for wood items, stated a statement.

The online forum was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Shifting Synergies", checks out how businesses can take advantage of the altering patterns of international demand and what role Dubai can play in facilitating the next step in business relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC however internationally too, by serving as an information and research study centre, by offering organization documentation, providing legal services, assisting in networking chances through signature organization occasions and providing practically every imaginable business service, it mentioned.

GCC growth will strengthen in 2026, led by faster growth in hydrocarbons; non-oil development will stay strong however slow a little. Non-oil activity will be supported by population development, brand-new markets, and public financial investment; inflation will remain soft, while financial policy will loosen up. Hydrocarbons sector development will accelerate, balancing out in part lower oil rates; fiscal balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits continue in other places.

The Strategic Advantages of Deep Strategy Research

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 federal government policies attracting funds and skill, said 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 Equity Capital Look Like", speakers concurred that the emerging local financial investment landscape appears appealing.

The Operational Benefits of Deep Strategy Research
ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+


Reacting to a question on local start-ups' potential customers of benefiting from recent financial investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have so much going for us in the area: the low expense of energy, a really progressive government that is ahead in policy, regulation and information privacy; and truly strong universities that are significantly looking at AI and ending up technical talent in AI."She added: "Our ultimate objective is to see this area, specifically the GCC, become an AI superpower.

Our greatest chauffeur right now is investing in skill, since in the AI race, it's the technical skill that truly wins.

"International growth funds are being available in, which shows clear indications of maturity of the community The ability of the UAE and local governments to attract talent; their innovation-first approach, abundance of capital here along with inflow worldwide are the key building blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital said that within the region, Saudi Arabia is leading the variety of offers with the highest values, with 250 "biggest ticket size" offers recorded in 2025 in the nation.

Share us on...