GCC Secretary General Affirms Unified AI Strategy - $150B Economic Impact Target

Overview

At the 5th General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) held in Kuwait City on February 5, 2026, His Excellency Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), announced that all six member states have adopted ambitious national strategies in Artificial Intelligence and the digital economy.

Key Announcements

• AI technologies projected to add approximately $150 billion to the GCC economy
• Annual contribution expected to reach $260 billion by 2030
• All six GCC member states aligned on unified AI strategy
• Strategic investments and advanced technical applications strengthening global standing
• Joint initiatives including regulatory frameworks, technical consultations, and specialized publications

Strategic Significance

This announcement represents the first time all six GCC member states have publicly aligned on a unified AI strategy with specific economic targets. The $150 billion near-term impact and $260 billion annual target by 2030 demonstrates the region's commitment to positioning AI as a core economic driver.

Joint Initiatives

The GCC's partnership with the Digital Cooperation Organisation has yielded several qualitative results:

• Development of regulatory frameworks for the ICT sector
• Provision of technical consultations and studies
• Launch of Women's Empowerment Framework in ICT
• E-Waste Management Framework
• Specialized publications highlighting evolving digital landscape

Regional Coordination

The announcement underscores the GCC's commitment to enhancing strategic international partnerships, particularly with the DCO. Since formalizing this partnership in 2021, it has served as a pioneering model for cooperation, yielding tangible results that support the digital transformation journeys of GCC member states.

Implications

This unified strategy signals that:

• GCC countries are moving beyond individual national strategies to coordinated regional approach
• Economic diversification through AI is now a collective GCC priority
• Regulatory harmonization across GCC will accelerate AI adoption
• The region is positioning itself as a unified AI powerhouse on the global stage