Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are leading the world in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the workplace, according to a recent report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The report found that 93 per cent of frontline employees and 95 per cent of managers and executives in the GCC use AI technologies at least several times a week, compared with a global average of 74 per cent among frontline employees.
The fourth edition of BCG X’s AI at Work 2026 report, based on data from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, highlighted the accelerating integration of AI technologies into the daily operations of organisations across the Gulf.
The report found that 58 per cent of frontline employees and 67 per cent of managers and executives in the region save at least eight working hours per week through the use of AI tools, placing the Gulf alongside India among the world’s leading regions in AI adoption.
AI is also reshaping the nature of jobs and the skills they require. Some 85 per cent of frontline employees and 92 per cent of managers and executives said AI had changed the skills required in their jobs, while 69 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively, reported that using AI had increased their job satisfaction and enjoyment.
Robert Zhou, Managing Director and Partner at BCG X, said the high adoption rates across the Gulf reflected a shift by organisations from initial experimentation to the practical integration of AI into their daily operations. He stressed the importance of investing in workforce capabilities and redesigning workflows to maximise the benefits of the technology.
Meanwhile, 60 per cent of frontline employees and 66 per cent of managers and executives in the GCC expect AI agents to be capable of performing at least half of their current job tasks within the next three years.
At the same time, the report found relatively limited concerns about job displacement. Only 28 per cent of frontline employees and 29 per cent of managers and executives expressed concern that AI could replace them.
The report concluded that the next phase will require clear strategies, operating models and governance frameworks to translate individual productivity gains into sustainable organisational value and strengthen the GCC’s ability to capitalise on its leading position in AI adoption.
