Like a friend who shares the news over tea — no jargon, no fluff, just what matters across the Gulf.
ISSUE 10, 27 July 2026
Ai MAJLiS
- UAE
- SAUDI ARABIA
- QATAR
- KUWAIT
- BAHRAIN
- OMAN
Ahlan wa sahlan — welcome to Issue #010 of Ai MAJLiS. Ten editions. The khawa has been warm every Sunday since May, and this week the Gulf AI story reaches a milestone edition with five stories that cut right to the heart of what this region’s AI decade is really about: people. The UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education just confirmed that 87% of existing jobs will see higher demand as AI reshapes the labour market — and 20% of future jobs don’t yet exist. 32 Emirati experts began a landmark AI leadership programme at the Technology Innovation Institute and ADIA Lab. Saudi universities swept international AI education awards in Hong Kong. King Abdulaziz University earned two Times Higher Education shortlists. And Coursera published the GCC’s first comprehensive AI regulation playbook for the workforce. This week, the Gulf isn’t just building AI infrastructure — it is building the people who will run it. Let’s go.
01
UAE - Future of Work · Labour Market
87% of UAE Jobs Will See Higher Demand as AI Reshapes the Economy — and 20% Don't Exist Yet
The UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research published its Emirates Skills indicators this week with findings that reframe the entire AI-jobs conversation in the Gulf. The headline: demand is expected to rise for 87% of existing UAE jobs as skills continue to evolve — meaning AI is not primarily a jobs destroyer in the UAE, it is a jobs upgrader.
The breakdown tells the fuller story. Advanced engineering and sales roles are seeing the strongest demand growth. 20% of future UAE jobs will be entirely new roles — positions that don’t yet exist in the market today. The examples the Ministry gives are instructive: robotics operations supervisors, AI systems quality assurance technicians, and manufacturing engineers. These are not software roles — they are operational and physical roles being created by the AI and Industry 4.0 transformation of manufacturing and energy.
The flip side: 13% of current jobs are classified as stagnant — largely routine administrative, support, and office functions increasingly affected by digital transformation, automation, and smart technologies. This is the segment most exposed to displacement, and it is disproportionately where many current workers sit.
87%
UAE jobs seeing higher demand as AI reshapes economy
20%
Future UAE jobs will be entirely new roles
13%
Current jobs classified stagnant — routine roles declining
The Ministry’s framing is deliberate: these findings reinforce the importance of aligning education outcomes with labour market needs and strengthening investment in future-ready skills. This is not a passive observation — it is a policy signal. UAE universities and vocational programmes are being directed to redesign their output around the 87% growing track, not the 13% declining one.
This data lands alongside the PwC AI Jobs Barometer finding from last week: the UAE ranks 13th globally in AI-related job postings, with the share of jobs requiring AI skills tripling from 1% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2025. And a separate Hays Middle East survey found 80% of UAE HR professionals expect to maintain or increase hiring in H2 2026 — with AI and data talent at the top of every demand list.
"The findings reinforce the importance of aligning education outcomes with evolving labour market requirements and increasing investment in future-ready skills to strengthen the UAE's competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy."
— UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Emirates Skills Report, July 25, 2026
Why it matters: For businesses hiring in the UAE, this data is a planning tool. The 87% figure means AI fluency is becoming a baseline expectation across almost every professional role — not just tech roles. For education providers, the 20% new jobs figure is a curriculum design mandate. The roles of 2030 are starting to be defined now, and the Gulf is doing it faster than almost anywhere else.
02
UAE - Sovereign AI Talent · Leadership
32 Emirati Experts Begin the UAE's Most Elite AI Leadership Programme — Inside TII and ADIA Lab
On July 21, 2026, a cohort of 32 Emirati professionals began Module 1 of the UAE National Experts Programme AI Track (NEP-AI) — the most selective and senior AI leadership programme in the country. The module, titled “AI Foundations and the AI Stack”, launched in the presence of Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology.
What makes NEP-AI distinctive is not just its selectivity — over 1,000 Emiratis applied for 32 places — but its access level. Module 1 included site visits to two of the UAE’s most significant AI research institutions:
- Inside the Programme
At ADIA Lab: Director Dr. Horst Simon and ADIA Lab scientists briefed participants on compute as a strategic national resource — framing AI infrastructure not as a technology choice but as a sovereign capability decision.
At TII (Technology Innovation Institute): CEO Dr. Najwa Aaraj led a panel discussion titled “Building the UAE’s AI Stack: From National Strategy to Real Infrastructure” — connecting the dots between the UAE’s national AI ambitions and the physical systems required to deliver them.
The programme runs from June 2026 to January 2027 across seven modules, combining technical AI education with governance, policy, leadership, and practical implementation. Each participant develops a Capstone Project targeting real organisational or national challenges — AI solutions with measurable impact, not academic exercises.
The structure spans 25 sectors and six core tracks: AI Foundations, AI Strategy and Governance, AI Applications, AI Ethics and Policy, AI Leadership and Transformation, and Applied AI Domains. Senior mentors include ministers, chief executives, and senior government and private-sector leaders.
32
Emirati experts selected for inaugural NEP-AI cohort
1000+
Applications received for 32 places
7
Modules running June 2026 – January 2027
"Investing in national talent is fundamental to strengthening the UAE's long-term leadership in artificial intelligence and building a future-ready economy. Developing highly skilled national talent with both technical expertise and strategic insight has become a national priority."
— Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, July 21, 2026
Why it matters: NEP-AI is the clearest signal yet that the UAE is building sovereign AI leadership capacity — not just AI infrastructure. The 32 graduates of this programme in January 2027 will be the country’s first cohort of AI-literate senior government and private-sector leaders who have been trained to the same standard as the country’s best researchers. Watch for these individuals to reshape policy, procurement, and strategy across 25 sectors over the next five years.
03
SAUDI ARABIA - AI Education · Global Recognition
Saudi Universities Sweep International AI Education Awards in Hong Kong — and King Abdulaziz University Earns Two Times Higher Education Shortlists
Saudi Arabia delivered a double dose of international AI education recognition this week — in Hong Kong and in the Arab world’s most prestigious university awards simultaneously.
In Hong Kong: Saudi universities won multiple awards at the finals of the International AI on Education Competition, organised by the Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Alliance and The Education University of Hong Kong. The competition brought together students, researchers, and innovators from around the world to showcase AI-powered technologies that improve learning outcomes.
Umm Al-Qura University delivered one of the strongest performances in the entire competition, winning awards for Innovative Problem Discovery, Overall Performance, and Excellence in Educational Impact, alongside multiple Merit Awards. The university was also recognised as an international partner of the competition for hosting the Gulf regional qualifying round — making it both a competitor and an infrastructure partner for global AI education innovation.
Jouf University won an Excellence Award for Morph, an adaptive learning platform designed specifically for university students with ADHD. Built by students Ghaida Al-Fallah and Safiyah Al-Rahim under the supervision of Mashail Al-Khamsan, Morph uses electroencephalography (EEG) signals to monitor students’ attention levels in real time, adjusting content delivery to maintain engagement — a genuine medical-AI application developed entirely by Saudi students.
3+
Umm Al-Qura category wins at International AI Education Competition
EEG
Morph uses brainwave signals to adapt learning for ADHD students
2
THE Arab World shortlists for King Abdulaziz University AI initiatives
Simultaneously, King Abdulaziz University (KAU) this week earned shortlisting in two categories at the Times Higher Education Awards Arab World 2026: Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year, and Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year. The university’s nominated initiative — “AI Education for Non-Specialists: A National Model for Inclusive AI Literacy” — has grown from a few hundred students in 2023 to several thousand in 2026, while preparing graduates for the globally recognised AI-900 certification. Winners will be announced at the Arab Universities Summit in Morocco in November 2026.
This runs alongside an extraordinary earlier Saudi achievement this year: the Saudi national AI team won six awards at the inaugural Asia-Pacific AI Olympiad, including a gold medal — the Kingdom’s first-ever participation in the competition.
04
GCC WIDE - AI Regulation · Workforce
Coursera's GCC AI Regulation Playbook: The UAE Links Workforce Literacy Directly to Law — and Other GCC States Are Following
Coursera published its most comprehensive Gulf-focused AI workforce report today — “Navigating GCC AI Regulation: A Playbook for Building an AI-Literate and Compliant Workforce” — examining the regulatory landscape across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The report’s central finding is a structural observation that separates the GCC from most other major economies.
In Europe and North America, AI policy and talent development typically evolve as separate tracks — regulators set rules, and educators independently build skills programmes to comply. The UAE has inverted this model: it treats workforce AI capability as a measurable national target and a competitive differentiator, directly linked to economic diversification goals. The National AI Strategy 2031 and the UAE AI Charter both explicitly identify AI literacy as a primary objective — not a secondary consequence of regulation.
The practical implication for businesses is significant. Organisations in the UAE are expected to integrate regulatory requirements into their AI systems, processes, and learning programmes from the outset — not address compliance after deployment. This is a fundamentally different operating model than most multinationals have built for European or North American markets.
- GCC Regulatory Posture — Coursera Summary
🇦🇪 UAE: Most comprehensive AI framework — literacy, governance and innovation integrated. PDPL personal data deadline January 2027. DIFC Regulation 10 in force.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: SDAIA-led ecosystem with AI Charter and year-of-AI designation. Strong skills-based hiring mandate — 99% employer adoption.
🇶🇦 Qatar: GovAI Programme active across government entities. QNV 2030 AI integration mandate.
🇧🇭 Bahrain: Standalone AI law imminent — will be most binding in GCC. CBB sandbox most active fintech AI environment.
🇰🇼 Kuwait: New Kuwait 2035 AI framework developing. AI regulation still in early stages — clearest policy gap in the GCC.
The Coursera report specifically flags the UAE’s January 2027 Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) deadline as the next major compliance milestone for businesses operating in the country — requiring data protection officers, AI impact assessments, and documented consent frameworks for AI systems handling personal data. This is not a distant deadline: it is six months away.
"The UAE treats workforce AI capability as a measurable national target and a competitive differentiator, directly linked to the country's economic diversification vision — unlike many regulatory models in Europe and North America where AI policy and talent development often evolve separately."
— Coursera, Navigating GCC AI Regulation: A Playbook for Building an AI-Literate and Compliant Workforce, July 20, 2026
Why it matters: For any organisation operating across the GCC, this playbook is the most practical AI compliance guide published for the region this year. The PDPL deadline in the UAE is six months away. Bahrain’s AI law is imminent. Saudi Arabia’s skills-based hiring mandate is live. Compliance is no longer a future consideration — it is a Q3 2026 operational priority.
05
UAE / QATAR / OMAN / BAHRAIN - AI Partnerships · Regional Progress
Microsoft Deepens UAE Government AI Automation — While Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain Each Advance Their Distinct AI Stories
UAE + Microsoft: A Semafor exclusive this week confirmed that Microsoft is deepening its AI ties with the UAE government specifically to automate government work — building on its existing $15.2 billion commitment to the country by 2030 and its minority stake in G42. The collaboration targets the UAE’s agentic AI ambition: integrating AI agents across 50% of government operations by 2028. Microsoft’s role is to provide the enterprise AI infrastructure, the Copilot-style tooling, and the change management support that moves government ministries from traditional software to AI-native operations. 80% of UAE HR professionals in the June 2026 HR Brew survey expected to maintain or increase hiring in H2 2026 — driven disproportionately by AI and digital transformation demand.
- UAE PDPL Countdown — 6 Months
The UAE Personal Data Protection Law takes full effect in January 2027 — six months from today. Businesses operating in the UAE need documented AI impact assessments, consent frameworks, and data protection officers in place before the deadline. This is the single most immediate compliance priority for any organisation using AI to process personal data in the UAE.
Qatar: Qatar University’s Spark AI Innovation Hub — built in partnership with Google Cloud, with Arabic-language AI research funded by Google.org — confirmed this week it is now fully operational. The Hub provides access to Gemini Enterprise, Google Cloud infrastructure, and a dedicated AI development environment for Qatari researchers and students. It sits within Qatar’s broader GovAI Programme, under which partnerships with Malomatia, Accenture, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Oracle, and Scale AI are all in active implementation. Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030 has earmarked QR40 billion for the non-hydrocarbon economy — with AI at its centre.
Oman: Oman’s Royal Decree 50/2026 AI Special Zone — established this month — is beginning to attract early interest from international AI infrastructure companies. The combination of Oman’s submarine cable connectivity advantage (the highest concentration of international submarine cable landings in the Middle East), lower land and energy costs compared to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, and the formal Special Zone protections is generating genuine commercial interest from data center operators and AI services firms looking for a GCC presence outside the established UAE-Saudi duopoly.
Bahrain: Bahrain’s standalone AI law continues its passage through the Shura Council — and its imminent enactment is drawing attention from international AI companies that need legal certainty before deploying AI in financial services. The Central Bank of Bahrain sandbox remains the most active in the region for fintech and AI financial products. Bahrain’s governance-first approach is increasingly being recognised as commercially smart: IBM’s Operational Alpha research identifies governance maturity as a key enabler of AI ROI, and Bahrain will soon be the only GCC state delivering that maturity through binding legislation.
GCC AI SNAPSHOT
Where Each Country Stands This Week
Ten editions. When we poured the first cup of khawa back in May, the Gulf’s AI story was about infrastructure and investment — who was spending how many billions on what data centers. Ten weeks later, the story has evolved. This week’s edition is almost entirely about people.
87% of UAE jobs will grow as AI reshapes them. 32 Emirati experts are being trained at the country’s best AI labs to lead that transformation from the inside. Saudi universities are winning international AI education competitions. King Abdulaziz University has earned two Times Higher Education shortlists for AI literacy programmes. Coursera has mapped exactly what the GCC’s AI regulatory landscape means for every organisation’s workforce strategy.
The Gulf figured out early that AI without people is infrastructure without purpose. This week’s stories are the evidence that the lesson has been learned — and is being acted on at every level, from 32-person elite programmes to national policy to international student competitions.
That’s our majlis for Issue #010. Shukran for reading, sharing, and being part of this conversation every Sunday. See you next week — inshallah. 🫖
