GCC accelerates past global AI adoption benchmarks

• GCC shows how an entire region can align around AI—not only to accelerate productivity, but to shape the new rules of the global business game.
• For business leaders, the path is clear: invest, align, and innovate—or risk falling behind in the AI-powered economy.

As artificial intelligence cements its place in the engine rooms of global business, GCC nations are racing ahead, transforming optimism into tangible performance gains.

According to Boston Consulting Group’s report, “From Pilots to Progress: AI at Work in the GCC,” the region has not only climbed to second place globally in AI adoption for 2025, but has also developed a culture of confidence and leadership support that outstrips the world’s averages.

For policymakers and business leaders across Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the signals are loud and clear: the GCC is harnessing AI, not just as a technical tool, but as a strategic lever for economic diversification and digital transformation.

In 2025, 58 per cent of GCC professionals expressed optimism about AI (9 percentage points up from the previous year), with 45 per cent reporting confidence—figures that surpass global norms and reflect a culture hungry for progress.

Dr. Lars Littig, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, credits not only new technology, but the region’s distinctive leadership approach:

“The GCC is emerging as a global leader in AI deployment, with high frontline adoption and leadership support nearly twice the global average. For companies and public sector entities alike, this signals a clear mandate: strategic investment in AI, paired with strong leadership and training, offers a blueprint for enterprise-wide transformation.”

Widespread adoption

The study, conducted jointly with BCG X, surveyed everyone from C-suite decision makers to shop-floor staff. Results show that AI has broken out of pilot mode and into regular use:

• 78 per cent of frontline employees use generative AI frequently (27 points above global rates)
• 90 per cent of managers and 92 per cent of leaders are incorporating AI into their daily work, versus 78 per cent and 88 per cent globally

Such widespread adoption reflects not only enthusiasm but also clear strategic alignment with national economic visions.

New compliance risks

Training quality is another differentiator: 45 per cent of GCC employees find their AI education satisfactory, better than the 36 per cent global average. Further, 54 per cent of frontline staff say leaders provide clear AI guidance (double the global rate), signaling strong top-down alignment.

However, this proactive culture comes with a warning: shadow AI use is more common, with 63 per cent of workers saying they’d use unauthorized AI tools—again, higher than world averages—underscoring the need for robust compliance frameworks as AI becomes ubiquitous.

Productivity and innovation

Perhaps most compelling for business decision-makers are the clear productivity gains. Over half of respondents save more than an hour daily with AI, time now reinvested in:

• Tackling additional work (58 per cent)
• Strategic projects (38 per cent)
• Improving output speed and quality (58 per cent)
• Professional development (38 per cent)
• Experimentation, collaboration, and even well-being activities

Yet, only half of employees report receiving guidance on how to best use this saved time—a missed opportunity to fully capitalise on AI’s potential contributions.

What lies ahead for the GCC? The study highlights two coming shifts: the rise of agentic AI—systems that operate independently to manage complex tasks—and the dawn of novel business models where AI is a source not just of efficiency, but of new revenue and competitive differentiation.

 “AI is already a powerful driver of performance, deeply embedded in team workflows. In the GCC, employees are saving, and reinvesting, hours every day—a compelling case for businesses to scale responsibly for sustainable growth and talent development,” Rami Mourtada, BCG Partner and Director, said.