As 2026 gets underway, Middle Eastern organizations are demonstrating global leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption. According to the latest Accenture Pulse of Change research, the region leads the world in employee AI confidence and leadership communication. However, while revenue expectations remain high, a critical “execution gap” remains, with the region facing the highest global concern regarding skills shortages.

Accenture’s Pulse of Change survey reflects insights from 3,650 C-suite executives and 3,350 workers globally. In the Middle East, the findings reveal a region that is “ready but waiting”: while 83% of leaders have a positive perception of Gen AI (compared to 82.6% globally), the region ranks among the lowest for actual job role redesign.

Key Regional Insights:

• Leads Globally in Workforce Readiness: The Middle East stands out as the most AI-prepared region globally:

• 73% of the workforce is ready for AI training, significantly higher than the 51% global average.
• 44% of Middle Eastern employees feel confident using AI, vs. 29% worldwide.
• Regional leadership is the most transparent globally regarding AI’s impact (26% vs. 17% worldwide).
• The region ranks second globally for job security (56% vs 45%), highlighting a unique “human-first” approach to AI.
• The Revenue-Change Paradox: Optimism is high, but the pace of internal transformation is measured:
• 89% anticipate revenue growth, consistent with the region’s strong economic momentum.
• 78% expect higher levels of external disruption in 2026—notably lower than the global average of 82%, suggesting a more stable but cautious transition.
• 83% of organizations plan to increase AI investment this year.
• Critical Challenges: The “Skills Gap” and Job Redesign: Despite high readiness, structural barriers could limit long-term ROI:
• 47% of Middle Eastern leaders cite AI skills gaps as their top barrier to change—more than double the global average of 22%.
• Only 3% of organizations are actively redesigning job roles for an AI-enabled era, compared to 6% globally.