Editor’s note: A new Global AI for Finance Competitiveness Index places Saudi Arabia and the UAE among the world’s top ten markets for AI adoption in financial services, ranking 7th and 9th respectively. Released by Deep Knowledge Group with the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council as observer, the index benchmarks 20 countries and 15 city hubs on finance-grade AI capability, maturity, and deployment readiness. The results highlight how Gulf markets are moving beyond experimentation toward operational use of AI in regulated finance, with Saudi Arabia scaling rapidly and the UAE demonstrating strong execution across institutions. Key points Saudi Arabia ranks 7th globally, cited as the Gulf’s fastest-scaling market for AI-enabled finance. The UAE ranks 9th, recognized for turning AI capability into deployed systems in regulated markets. The index evaluates countries and city hubs on deployment readiness, institutional capacity, and ecosystem breadth. Leaders are...

Editor’s note: At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Saudi Arabia outlined a series of initiatives spanning environmental protection, AI infrastructure, manufacturing, and sustainable development. Announcements included plans to host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, new financing to expand hyperscale AI data center capacity, and partnerships to accelerate advanced manufacturing and secure critical mineral supply chains. Together, these moves reflect how environmental policy, digital infrastructure, and industrial transformation are being positioned as linked priorities under Vision 2030, with implications for global sustainability efforts and the evolution of the MENA technology and innovation ecosystem. Key points Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026 to address policy gaps and financing for reef protection. A strategic financing framework of up to $1.2 billion was announced to support up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data...

Editor’s note: New research from Dell Technologies points to accelerating enterprise adoption of AI across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with most organizations now treating AI and generative AI as a core business priority. The survey highlights strong early returns on productivity and efficiency, alongside a growing shift toward on-premises and localized AI deployments. At the same time, it surfaces clear constraints, particularly around skills, security, and infrastructure readiness, that are slowing the move from pilot projects to full-scale implementation. Key points 92% of surveyed UAE organizations now consider AI or GenAI a key part of their business strategy. 88% report tangible productivity or financial returns from early AI investments. All respondents cite a skills gap as a limiting factor, especially for safe GenAI deployment. 74% plan to run AI locally on AI PCs within the next 12 months, reflecting data sovereignty and compliance needs. AI is increasingl...