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Workplace Study Reveals Middle Eastern AI Use Is Skyrocketing
The recent findings reveal that 56% of Middle East tech professionals are using AI — a figure higher than anywhere in Europe.
Workforce solutions and recruitment specialists Hays have published a wide-ranging study of 5014 tech professionals and 6178 employers spanning 20 countries.
The company’s Tech Talent Explorer report contains plenty of interesting data, but perhaps the most significant findings concern the growing use of AI. The study reveals that the Middle Eastern tech space is far more progressive than its European counterpart, with greater numbers of tech professionals in the MENA and GCC countries using AI than those in Europe. In addition, more Middle Eastern organizations offer AI support and training than almost anywhere else covered in the research.
Commenting on the study’s findings, Oliver Kowalski, Regional Managing Director of Hays Middle East, said:
“Of course, AI has its risks, but it is here to stay and those that embrace it will reap its rewards. This new data brings to light a competitive advantage for companies in the Middle East looking to hire developers, data and infrastructure professionals, cyber security talent, and other tech specialists. It shows these people’s thirst for AI training, for working on innovative projects with the latest iterations of technologies”.
Key Statistics:
- 56% of Middle Eastern tech professionals use AI tools. In Italy, the figure is just 28%, while France only manages 29%.
- 68% of GCC tech professionals associate AI with increased efficiency and productivity, with 50% already using AI tools to aid communication.
- 66% of all software developers use AI to generate or debug code.
- 82% of all the tech professionals surveyed desire more AI training, with the Netherlands and Spain topping the poll at 92% and 89%, respectively.
- Only 30% of all employers surveyed currently recommend using AI.
- Only 24% of GCC tech professionals have received AI training or support, but that figure is still higher than in all European countries (apart from The Netherlands, at 27%).
Also Read: The Most AI-Proof Career Opportunities In The Middle East
The study is freely available as an interactive report — The Tech Talent Explorer — which also compares salaries and “talent attraction factors” for tech professionals across both Europe and the Middle East.
News
Nano Banana 2 Arrives In MENA For Google Gemini Users
Google brings its latest image model to Gemini and Search, adding 4K output and tighter text control for regional users.
Google has opened access to Nano Banana 2 across the Middle East and North Africa, pushing its newest image model into everyday tools rather than keeping it inside the exclusive (and expensive) Pro tier.
The rollout spans the Google Gemini desktop and mobile apps, and extends to Google Search through Lens and AI Mode. Developers can also test it in preview via AI Studio and the Gemini API.
Nano Banana 2 runs on Gemini Flash, Google’s fast inference layer. The focus is speed, but also control. Users can export visuals from 512px up to 4K, adjusting aspect ratios for everything from vertical social posts to widescreen displays.
The model maintains character likeness across up to five figures and preserves fidelity for as many as 14 objects within a single workflow. This enables visual continuity across scenes, iterations, or edits — supporting projects like short films, storyboards, and multi-scene narratives. Text rendering has also been improved, delivering legible typography in mockups and greeting cards, with built-in translation and localization directly within images.
Also Read: RØDE Adds Direct iPhone Pairing To Wireless GO And Pro Mics
Under the hood, the system taps Gemini’s broader knowledge base and pulls in real-time information and imagery from web search to render specific subjects more accurately. Lighting and fine detail have been upgraded, without slowing output.
By embedding the model inside Gemini and Search, Google is normalizing advanced image generation for a mass audience. In MENA, where startups and marketing teams are leaning heavily on AI to scale content across languages and borders, that shift lands at a practical moment.
The move also folds creative tooling deeper into search itself, so that image generation is no longer a separate workflow. It now sits right next to the query box.
Nano Banana 2 Arrives In MENA For Google Gemini Users
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