Lebanon is joining the global artificial-intelligence wave, albeit with limited resources and mostly private initiatives, at a time when Gulf states are leading the region in deploying AI to boost national economies.
Expectations point to long-term, exceptional growth in this promising sector, which is attracting sizable investments aimed at modernizing societies and enhancing performance across both productive sectors and public services.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, AI specialist Hilda Maalouf noted that Gulf governments and private industries are moving in tandem to integrate AI across their systems.
She highlighted the region’s strong readiness, supported by major government-backed investments in advanced technologies and fast-expanding data-center infrastructure, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Lebanon, by contrast, faces deep structural hurdles, especially in the public sector. Still, Maalouf, an Oxford-certified AI expert, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the country retains a dynamic private sector and high-caliber talent striving to stay competitive in IT and AI, despite crippling power outages and a weak internet network that has stalled the rollout of 5G.
According to Omar Hallak, partner and head of the public-sector practice at global data and AI consultancy Artefact, the Gulf’s ambitious national strategies have put it far ahead of other regional countries.
Readiness rankings confirm this: the UAE ranks 13th globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index, followed by Saudi Arabia (22nd) and Qatar (32nd). Lebanon stands at 82nd worldwide.
These disparities, Hallak explained, reflect the widening gap between Gulf economies -now reaping the rewards of sustained tech investment - and countries like Lebanon, whose digital infrastructure and economic crises continue to hinder progress. Despite strong local talent and emerging startups, Lebanon’s AI transition remains slow due to limited government support and weak investment.
Gulf states have forged strategic partnerships with global tech giants such as Microsoft and OpenAI, attracting major cloud-computing providers to build advanced infrastructure.
Their remaining challenge is a shortage in national technical skills, where Lebanon, ironically, excels. Yet Lebanon continues to lose talent to migration while lacking the infrastructure to retain it.
Most Gulf strategies now focus on attracting global experts in data science and AI, in addition to training local citizens. Saudi Arabia aims to train 20,000 specialists by 2030, while leading universities, including King Saud University and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, are expanding AI programs.
Economically, AI is expected to add $260 billion to Gulf economies by 2030, with Saudi Arabia alone projected to gain $135 billion (12.4% of GDP) and the UAE about $96 billion (13.6%). The World Economic Forum reports that Gulf economic prospects already outpace global averages, driven by technological transformation.
According to analysts, AI adoption will enhance productivity, reduce bureaucracy and corruption, and stimulate public–private partnerships. Gulf states are particularly well-positioned in finance, energy, health care, and education. In Lebanon, AI’s most promising impact lies in service-based sectors such as tourism, transport, finance, education, and health.
Hallak added that sectors rich in data, including public services, finance, energy, manufacturing, and telecommunications, will be the primary drivers of AI adoption across the region, especially in economies where energy and natural resources remain central to growth.
