Middle East Firms Urged To Put AI Strategy At Board Level

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) As artificial intelligence adoption gathers pace across the Middle East, company boards need to take greater ownership of AI strategy or risk falling behind competitors that are moving faster to embed the technology across their operations, according to a new report released by Dubai-based executive search and advisory firm EA Mena.

The firm said many organisations continue to treat AI as a technology initiative rather than a business strategy, despite growing evidence that leadership and governance are critical to unlocking value from AI investments.

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Citing the 2026 IESE Survey on Boards of Directors, EA Mena noted that 55 per cent of board members believe AI is not yet generating significant business value. The survey also found that only 15 per cent of boards discuss AI-related challenges at every meeting, while 38 per cent rate board involvement in defining AI strategy as low.

“AI adoption has to start in the boardroom, but it cannot stay there,” said Alister Wellesley, chief executive of EA Mena.“The board needs to establish what the organisation wants AI to achieve and where it can create competitive advantage.”

The issue is particularly relevant in the Middle East, where AI deployment is accelerating. According to IBM's 2026 CEO research, 89 per cent of Middle East CEOs said their organisations are embedding AI across multiple workflows, yet only 25 per cent of employees use AI regularly as part of their jobs.

“These figures show that the next challenge is not simply getting AI into organisations, but getting organisations ready for AI,” Wellesley said, adding that leadership must drive adoption and accountability throughout the business.

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