Middle East boards leading UK, US on AI governance plans

Middle East corporate boards are outpacing counterparts in the UK, US and Nordics on artificial intelligence governance, with Saudi boards singled out for particularly advanced engagement, a new survey of more than 400 company officials finds. The research, published as Board Intelligence’s summer 2026 Board Value Index, reports that 68 percent of directors in Saudi Arabia are actively reviewing which decisions should remain human-led versus AI-led, while a further 26 percent have already discussed the issue at board level. Across the wider Middle East, 42 percent of directors consider their board an essential tool for value creation — the highest proportion among the four regions surveyed.

Direct quote

“Our research shows that Middle East boards are among the most forward-looking globally and are leading many of the conversations around AI governance and future readiness,” said Pippa Begg, CEO and co‑founder of Board Intelligence. “As organisations continue to evolve, boards will need access to the right expertise, information, and decision‑making frameworks to support high‑quality discussions and effective decisions.”

Context and details

• The report surveyed non‑executive directors, CEOs and chief financial officers from organisations across the UK, US, Nordic countries and the Middle East, and found broad engagement with AI governance. About 86 percent of respondents in the Middle East said their board enables innovation.
• Specific governance actions were common: 58 percent of Middle East boards reported actively looking into which decisions should remain with humans and which could be assigned to AI. In Saudi Arabia nearly all boards surveyed are engaging with the governance implications of AI, when combining the 68 percent reviewing decision allocation with the 26 percent that have discussed it.
• Skills and subject‑matter expertise were identified as the leading barrier to better board decisions in the region, cited by 34 percent of respondents. Four in five Middle East directors said skills gaps had contributed to at least one delayed, rushed or poor decision during the previous six months.
• The findings align with separate PwC research showing 70 percent of Middle East CEOs have a clearly defined roadmap for AI initiatives, while about 59 percent have formalised responsible AI and risk processes.
• Emerging technologies are viewed primarily as strategic opportunities by many regional directors: roughly 30 percent said their boards primarily discuss quantum computing as an opportunity, compared with 24 percent globally. At the same time 41 percent of Middle East respondents saw quantum computing mainly through a security‑risk lens, noting potential threats to encryption and cybersecurity.
• The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 was cited in the study to underline the pace of skills change: it found 39 percent of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2030, with growing demand for expertise in AI, big data and cybersecurity.
• Despite strong levels of engagement, only 22 percent of Middle East directors said their board strongly enables innovation in practice, and boards most commonly influence innovation through capital, talent and partnership decisions rather than by helping management identify nascent opportunities.
• Succession planning remains a concern: 64 percent of Middle East directors said their organisation would need to develop internal talent or conduct an external search before appointing a CEO successor.

Outlook

Raja Al‑Mazrouei, CEO of Etihad Credit Insurance and a member of Board Intelligence’s advisory board, said boards must evolve to meet rapid technological change: “The boards of the future will need to be more digitally literate, more diverse, data‑informed, and more comfortable operating in ambiguity. We have an opportunity in this region to leapfrog legacy governance models and redesign governance around agility, intelligence, and strategic oversight.” The combination of active board engagement, CEO roadmaps and acknowledged skills gaps suggests the region is mobilising governance capacity — but will need targeted expertise and training to translate intentions into sustained, measurable outcomes.