Employers in the Gulf region are changing their hiring methods. With artificial intelligence technologies becoming part of their everyday work processes, business leaders are now shifting their concerns. They consider human judgment and ethical reasoning more important than AI literacy.
The hiring needs of UAE and Saudi Arabian companies experienced a decline in 2025. However, the beginning of 2026 has shown a recovery. Businesses now tend to hire employees who can implement AI systems while maintaining control over their work processes. Organizations now search for professionals who can analyze results and discover hidden problems while making critical decisions within difficult situations.
The hiring process now resumes its previous pace. Organizations related to technology, finance, and other creative fields have started hiring again. They need workers who have different skills to work with artificial intelligence, which has become more common in the workplace.
The growth pattern shows a fundamental transformation because employers now seek workers who possess both technical skills and strategic abilities.
Data from recruitment platforms indicates a sharp increase in demand for AI-related competencies. However, executives stress that automation cannot replace leadership judgment. Organizations now give priority to positions that manage AI systems, streamline processes, and evaluate potential risks.
Navin Narendran, VP Commercial MEA at Enterprise Minds, has stated about the shift, “AI is not a function, it’s a discipline. Every employee, irrespective of function, has to think and apply AI in their own role. This goes way beyond just ChatGPT. It’s about leveraging various AI tools for visualization, workflow management, and more, all within their own workspace. It’s hygiene.”
The impact of automation creates two separate employment categories. The first category consists of standard work activities. This category is based on process-based operations that include content creation, data organization, and administrative tasks. The second category contains responsibilities that require human judgment to conduct ethical assessments, manage relationships, develop strategies, and establish accountability processes.
About the shift, Narendran has introduced a new point of view, stating, “Authenticity and vulnerability are becoming prized skills. With AI at everyone’s fingertips, knowledge is often just one inch deep. To be authentic and appreciate true value in others is at the core of innovation. Vulnerability is at the core of trust.”
The Middle East AI transition represents a technological transformation. It leads to a fundamental change in workplace value systems. Automation achieves better operational performance, but it cannot duplicate human capacity for understanding and making ethical decisions.
Regional economies must establish an equilibrium between algorithmic capabilities and human judgment to achieve sustainable success in their digital transformation efforts.