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Middle East Edition
27th January 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

AI is displacing traditional roles, says Saudi HR minister

Ahmad Al-Rajhi, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, has highlighted expected growth in tech-centric roles, such as AI specialists and data analysts, during the third Global Labor Market Conference in Riyadh. He noted that traditional positions including data entry may decline, and also emphasised the importance of continuous upskilling to keep pace with rapid technological changes and the need for coordinated action to address global youth employment challenges. “More than 262m young people worldwide are not in employment, education or training in many regions, and job creation is not keeping pace with population growth, while other countries are facing the pressure of aging workforces and rising dependency ratios,” Al-Rajhi observed.
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TECHNOLOGY

IMF director issues unregulated AI warning

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has warned that unregulated AI could lead to job losses and societal issues. She suggested that the technology "is transforming our world faster than we are getting ahead of it." Georgieva warned of a "tsunami" that will see jobs transformed or eliminated, suggesting that "the stakes go beyond economics. Work brings dignity and purpose to people's lives. That's what makes the AI transformation so consequential." Meanwhile, Erik Brynjolfsson, director of Stanford's digital economy lab, says analysis shows that US workers aged 22-25 are already experiencing AI-related job losses, especially in sectors where AI "automates rather than augments labour."

UAE and Saudi Arabia are taking the lead with AI

Hussain Sajwani, the founder of Damac, a Dubai-based property developer, has warned that countries embracing artificial intelligence will thrive, while those lagging will fall behind. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026, he highlighted that India could suffer due to its reliance on outsourcing, as AI is set to replace many jobs, including 80% of accounting roles. Sajwani noted that Europe risks stagnation by not adopting AI, while nations like China, America, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are investing heavily in this technology. He also emphasised the need for governments to fund reconstruction efforts in Gaza, saying that the private sector can build but requires financial support.

Robots only half as efficient as humans, says leading Chinese producer

Michael Tam, chief brand officer at leading Chinese humanoid robot maker UBTech, has told the Financial Times that its latest machines are at most half as efficient as human workers.
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ECONOMY

Saudi Arabia to scale back Neom megaproject

Saudi Arabia's flagship Neom project is set to be significantly downscaled and redesigned as a review of the massive development nears completion after years of delays and budget overruns.
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TAX

Tax reforms seek to drive Oman's revenue growth

Oman is in the third year of its four-year Tax Administration Modernisation Programme. Tax revenues are expected to increase to RO 2.531bn by 2030, up from RO 1.990bn in 2026. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised the reforms, including the restructuring of the Oman Tax Authority (OTA) and the introduction of Personal Income Tax (PIT) for high earners in 2028. The PIT will apply a 5% rate on income above RO 42,000. The IMF noted that these reforms enhance fairness and reduce reliance on oil revenues, saying: "PIT strengthens progressivity and improves perceptions of fairness."
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INTERNATIONAL

AI firm sued over 'secret' job scoring

Eightfold, an artificial intelligence ‌hiring ​platform used by Microsoft, PayPal and many ‌other Fortune 500 companies, is being sued for allegedly scoring job candidates without their knowledge. The lawsuit filed in California was brought by job seekers Erin Kistler and Sruti Bhaumik, who claim Eightfold compiles detailed talent profiles, including personality descriptions and “fit scores” that function as consumer reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

BNP Paribas plans ‌to cut around 1,200 asset management jobs

French lender BNP Paribas plans ‌to cut around 1,200 jobs at its asset management ​unit by the end of 2027. About ‌600 positions in France will be affected, said a union source, who added that about ​230 ‌new local jobs would also ‍be ⁠created as part of the plan to cut costs following the bank's €5.1bn acquisition of AXA Investment Managers. The merger created Europe’s third-largest asset manager.

Thailand's aviation sector struggles to fill key roles

Thailand's aviation sector is grappling with a significant personnel shortage following Covid-19. A report indicates that before the pandemic, the industry employed over 4.3m people, but now faces recruitment challenges and high turnover rates. Pukkanut Makchouy, president of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, said that a newly-signed collaboration with the International Air Transport Association aims to modernise training and improve workforce competencies to meet industry demands.

Japan's Rengo urges government to stabilise forex

Japan's 7m member-strong union umbrella group Rengo is urging the government to steer economic policy toward stabilising foreign exchange rates. "We believe that the yen's current depreciation is fuelling inflation through (higher) import costs," Rengo chief Tomoko Yoshino said, adding :"We'd like to call on the government to conduct macroeconomic management that stabilises prices and exchange rates." The group has set a target of 5% or more for the 2026 spring pay talks, which typically conclude in mid-March. 
 
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