GCC emerges as global AI leader with highest frontline adoption after US

Dubai: The Gulf is cementing its position as one of the world’s fastest-advancing AI hubs, with frontline adoption, leadership guidance and enterprise-wide transformation outpacing global peers, according to a new study from Boston Consulting Group.

The research finds the GCC now ranks second globally in AI adoption, supported by strong policy direction, widespread corporate investment and a deepening focus on skills. Seventy-eight per cent of frontline workers in the region now use generative AI regularly, placing the Gulf 27 percentage points above the global average.

Optimism and confidence in AI’s impact are also climbing. Fifty-eight per cent of respondents expressed optimism about AI's role in the workplace, up nine points from last year, while 45% noted rising confidence in their ability to use the technology effectively. Both figures are higher than global benchmarks, underscoring a regional shift from experimentation to scaled deployment.

Leadership support remains a distinguishing factor. According to the study, 55% of frontline employees in the Gulf receive clear guidance from senior management on AI adoption, more than twice the global rate. Usage is highest among managers and executives, at 90 and 92% respectively. This top-down emphasis is helping companies push beyond productivity pilots toward long-term transformation.

The shift is visible in the way organisations are rethinking work itself. Nearly two-thirds of companies surveyed are redesigning end-to-end workflows, placing the region at the forefront of re-engineering business models around artificial intelligence. Fifty-two per cent of respondents say they understand AI agents, compared to 33% globally, and 91% believe these autonomous systems will be central to future performance.

Productivity gains are already materialising. Just over half of GCC employees who use AI report saving more than an hour a day, with time reallocated across work and development. Staff say they are completing more tasks, improving quality, moving faster on strategic initiatives and investing in skills, from experimentation with advanced models to professional training.

Yet the pace of adoption also comes with risks. With 63% of respondents saying they would use AI tools even without formal approval, the region faces a higher-than-average threat of “shadow AI”. Only half of employees receive clear guidance on how to use time saved through automation, suggesting organisations will need to refine governance and talent frameworks as use scales.

The report notes that the next phase of AI maturity in the GCC will be shaped by responsible deployment, capability-building at scale and deeper alignment between leadership vision and workforce readiness. With national strategies advancing across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the region’s early-mover position is likely to strengthen as large companies and public institutions move toward agentic AI, autonomous workflows and new digital business models.