SATURDAY, OCT 31, 20262026 EDITION · 17 INDICATORS
VOL. III · 2026 EDITION
The AI Trajectory Index
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🕌 Middle East AI Deep-Dive

14 economies
🌎 Americas🌍 Europe🌏 Asia-Pacific🌍 Africa

AI Trajectory Index · Regional Intelligence

Gulf states racing toward AI-powered economies

The Gulf states are deploying sovereign AI strategies and massive capital, positioning the Middle East as a future hub for AI infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar lead regional government AI spending globally.

Economies

14

in 3 sub-regions

Regional Average

43.9

Global avg: 36.1

Fastest Rising

🇦🇪 UAE

+9 pts by 2028

Top Score

🇮🇱 74

Israel

Sub-regional averages

Gulf (GCC)57.5
(6)
Levant35.5
(6)
Greater Middle East28
(2)

Fastest Rising — Middle East

Ranked by projected score gain to 2028

1🇦🇪

UAE

Gulf (GCC)

73/100 · Strong Positive

+9 pts

→ 82

2🇸🇦

Saudi Arabia

Gulf (GCC)

66/100 · Strong Positive

+9 pts

→ 75

3🇶🇦

Qatar

Gulf (GCC)

62/100 · Positive

+6 pts

→ 68

4🇧🇭

Bahrain

Gulf (GCC)

52/100 · Positive

+6 pts

→ 58

5🇯🇴

Jordan

Levant

46/100 · Positive

+6 pts

→ 52

6🇮🇱

Israel

Levant

74/100 · Positive

+5 pts

→ 79

7🇰🇼

Kuwait

Gulf (GCC)

48/100 · Positive

+5 pts

→ 53

8🇴🇲

Oman

Gulf (GCC)

44/100 · Positive

+5 pts

→ 49

9🇮🇶

Iraq

Levant

26/100 · Positive

+3 pts

→ 29

10🇮🇷

Iran

Greater Middle East

44/100 · Neutral

+2 pts

→ 46

Middle East vs. Global — Pillar Gap

Average pillar scores (0–20) · Middle East & Global benchmark

Strategic AI Investment Markets

Positive trajectory

Gulf and regional markets with high government AI commitment and growing digital infrastructure

🇦🇪

UAE

Gulf (GCC)

73/100
Strong Positive+9 pts →
🇸🇦

Saudi Arabia

Gulf (GCC)

66/100
Strong Positive+9 pts →
🇶🇦

Qatar

Gulf (GCC)

62/100
Positive+6 pts →
🇧🇭

Bahrain

Gulf (GCC)

52/100
Positive+6 pts →
🇯🇴

Jordan

Levant

46/100
Positive+6 pts →
🇮🇱

Israel

Levant

74/100
Positive+5 pts →
🇰🇼

Kuwait

Gulf (GCC)

48/100
Positive+5 pts →
🇴🇲

Oman

Gulf (GCC)

44/100
Positive+5 pts →
🇮🇶

Iraq

Levant

26/100
Positive+3 pts →

Sub-Regional Breakdown

Sub-RegionCountriesAvg ScoreInfraTalentGovInvestEconLeader
Gulf (GCC)
657.513.510.212.511.89.5🇦🇪UAE73
Levant
635.57.710.36.55.85.2🇮🇱Israel74
Greater Middle East
2285.58.53.555.5🇮🇷Iran44

All Middle East Countries — Ranked by Score

1🇮🇱

Israel

Levant

74

+5

2🇦🇪

UAE

Gulf (GCC)

73

+9

3🇸🇦

Saudi Arabia

Gulf (GCC)

66

+9

4🇶🇦

Qatar

Gulf (GCC)

62

+6

5🇧🇭

Bahrain

Gulf (GCC)

52

+6

6🇰🇼

Kuwait

Gulf (GCC)

48

+5

7🇯🇴

Jordan

Levant

46

+6

8🇴🇲

Oman

Gulf (GCC)

44

+5

9🇮🇷

Iran

Greater Middle East

44

+2

10🇱🇧

Lebanon

Levant

31

-3

11🇮🇶

Iraq

Levant

26

+3

12🇵🇸

Palestine

Levant

22

-1

13🇸🇾

Syria

Levant

14

+2

14🇾🇪

Yemen

Greater Middle East

12

0