Artficial Intelligence
Top Rated
A Nation Transformed: How Oman’s “Tahawul” Program Built a New Digital Government (Part 1/2)
A nation’s digital journey is often measured by its grand visions and future-facing goals....
Business
Popular
Oman’s Digital Renaissance: How Strategic Vision and Solid Foundations are Reshaping a Nation
Oman, a nation traditionally defined by its rich hydrocarbon resources, is embarking on a profound and deliberate transformation. At the heart of this national effort is Vision 2040, a long-term roadmap to diversify the economy and build a sustainable, knowledge-based society. This first part of our series examines the strategic blueprint and foundational pillars that are making Oman's digital future a reality.
Government
Latest
Bahrain’s Budget Deficit: The GCC’s Most Exposed Economy in a Low-Oil World
Bahrain's government needs oil at $130 per barrel to balance its budget. Oil is trading at $70. The resulting deficit has pushed public debt to 134% of GDP, and a 10% corporate income tax arrives in 2027. This analysis covers what that fiscal gap means for businesses and investors operating in Bahrain today.
Saudi Arabia’s AI Pivot Inside Vision 2030: Moving Money from NEOM to Data
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 AI strategy has changed course. Construction on The Line has stalled, and the Public Investment Fund is redirecting billions into HUMAIN — a sovereign AI infrastructure vehicle — alongside data centers, GPU procurement, and an Arabic-first language model. For corporate decision-makers across the GCC, this shift moves AI from a speculative investment into a question of operational cost, vendor compliance, and cybersecurity exposure.
Read More
Hiring freeze meets nationalization quota: how Gulf HR teams are coping
Gulf HR directors face a hard deadline in May 2026: nationalisation quotas are enforced with full penalties while hiring remains frozen across logistics, finance, and hospitality. The UAE’s June 30 Emiratisation target, Saudi Arabia’s new Nitaqat Mutawar phase, and updated fee structures in Qatar and Oman all carry immediate financial consequences. This article sets out what each country requires and how leading organizations are meeting targets without adding headcount.
Read More
AI in the Gulf when money is tight: what gets funded, what gets cut
GCC AI funding is concentrating on one thing: operating cost reduction within 12 months. Analysis of where Saudi Arabia and the UAE are directing capital — and what is being paused.
Read More
Beyond the Petrodollar
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz disruption exposed critical weaknesses in global financial infrastructure. In response, GCC countries are building a sovereign digital settlement system using central bank digital currencies and platforms like mBridge. This shift is changing how trade is executed, reducing reliance on the US dollar, and giving the region greater control over capital flows.
Read More
Programmable Halal Economy in the GCC: How Blockchain Is Changing Trade
The 2026 Hormuz crisis exposed a critical flaw in global halal trade: verification systems could not keep pace with real-world disruptions. In response, the GCC is moving toward a programmable model where compliance is embedded directly into financial and supply chain infrastructure. By combining blockchain, CBDCs, and Sharia-based validation systems, this new approach ensures that transactions only execute when both commercial and religious conditions are met. The result is faster trade, stronger trust, and a shift from manual certification to system-level enforcement.
Read More
The Sovereign Catalyst: How PIF and Mubadala Are Building an On-Chain Financial System
GCC sovereign wealth funds are redefining global finance by building on-chain systems. This analysis explains how PIF and Mubadala are using blockchain, AI infrastructure, and tokenization to maintain capital flow during geopolitical disruption while strengthening domestic economic control.
Read More
