Global AI Pulse: Q1 2026

AI investment is accelerating but enterprise value remains uneven. How organizations align operating models, governance and workforce readiness will define the next phase of advantage.

KPMG’s inaugural Global AI Pulse draws on insights from more than 2,100 senior leaders across 20 countries, territories and jurisdictions, to understand how organizations are navigating AI’s next phase. What’s emerging is not a question of ambition, but of capability. For many organizations, the challenge lies in orchestrating AI across the enterprise, integrating systems, aligning workflows and enabling coordinated execution at scale.

Organizations in the Middle East are moving in step with a global shift where artificial intelligence is no longer viewed as a standalone innovation initiative, but as a core enterprise capability. The AI Pulse highlights that the defining challenge is now execution, embedding AI into day-to-day operations, aligning it with business priorities, and enabling it to function across workflows. This reflects a broader transition from experimentation toward operationalization, where success depends on how effectively AI is integrated into the organization’s operating model.

A key trend shaping AI adoption across markets is the move toward orchestrated, agent-driven systems that operate across functions rather than within silos. Middle East organizations are part of this shift, where scaling AI requires connecting technologies, integrating decision-making processes, and enabling AI to work across end-to-end business activities. This evolution signals a more mature phase of AI adoption, where organizations are rethinking how work is structured and delivered to unlock sustained performance and long-term value.