Emerging Future Trends Defining the 2026 GCC Market

Affirming the development of AI in the region, a report released by PwC earlier this month said that the usage of AI amongst the labor force in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of staff members in the area utilizing it in their jobs over the past 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the innovation sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are prepared to deploy AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent international benchmark, supported by the Kingdom's information governance community, consisting of national efforts led by the Saudi Data and Expert System Authority.

Policymakers are thinking holistically about how to make the region appealing, consisting of having more pragmatic laws to enable experimentation and development," stated the report.

Leading magnate, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America just recently checked out how countries from the 2 areas can grow trade between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 local and global policymakers, presidents, CEOs, magnate, investors, and market experts went to 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 region were $5.6 billion, a declaration from organisers stated. Both regions rely on each other for essential products.

In 2015 Latin America supplied 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 largest trading partner for nations in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC depends on Brazil for meat (mainly poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for vehicles and Chile for wood products, said a declaration.

The forum was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Shifting Synergies", explores how businesses can gain from the changing patterns of international demand and what role Dubai can play in assisting in the next action in business relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not only in the UAE and in the GCC however internationally too, by acting as a details and research centre, by supplying company paperwork, providing legal services, facilitating networking opportunities via signature service occasions and delivering nearly every imaginable company solution, it specified.

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

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SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and broader Middle East region 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). During a panel conversation on the very first day of SEF 2026 taking a look at "What Does the Next Year of Equity Capital Look Like", speakers agreed that the emerging local financial investment landscape appears appealing.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Reacting to a question on regional startups' potential customers of benefiting from recent investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have a lot opting for us in the area: the low expense of energy, an extremely progressive federal government that is ahead in policy, regulation and information personal privacy; and truly strong academic organizations that are increasingly looking at AI and turning out technical skill in AI."She included: "Our ultimate goal is to see this region, specifically the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our greatest driver right now is purchasing talent, because in the AI race, it's the technical skill that really wins."Concentrating on the attractiveness of the region for investors, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, said: "I believe we are extremely lucky to onboard the 3 biggest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for investment in the area.

"International growth funds are coming in, which shows clear signs of maturity of the community The ability of the UAE and local federal governments to attract skill; their innovation-first method, abundance of capital here as well as inflow globally are the crucial structure blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Investment Officer at Injaz Capital stated that within the area, Saudi Arabia is leading the number of deals with the highest values, with 250 "biggest ticket size" deals recorded in 2025 in the country.