By: Nur El-Mahrakawy

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education systems is essential for preparing future generations for the demands of a rapidly evolving labor market. In the Gulf region (GCC), the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has mandated an “Introduction to AI” course for third-year high school students with a focus on AI concepts, machine learning, data analysis, and ethical considerations, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has gone even further, mandating AI education for all students from kindergarten through grade 12 in an explicit indication of their common goal of becoming global pioneers in AI integration. Even Egypt’s president Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi, directed the government to establish 300 integrated human development centers to enhance cultural, educational, and athletic capabilities and improve physical, psychological, and social health, and prepare future generations for the job market.

While these steps are certainly promising, their journeys raise critical questions for the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where, according to UNICEF, approximately 89 million school-age children still lack home internet access and require careful consideration of AI governance, ethical considerations, educator readiness, and equitable access.

The Gulf’s Strategic Advantage in a Divided Region

The contrast between Gulf states and their MENA neighbors is stark. In Saudi Arabia, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), shared that the PIF injects between $40 and $50 billion annually into AI integration, demonstrating the fund’s dedication to economic diversification. Similarly, the UAE unveiled its ambitious Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, which allocated an astounding AED 13 billion to AI development. These investments have translated into tangible infrastructural developments. While a recent Ericsson Mobility Report forecasts that the GCC will have one of the highest 5G penetration rates by 2029 at 92%, in Tunisia, for example, the new digital platform “Tunis Future School” only targets 500 educational institutions, while many classrooms still rely on chalkboards. The impact of low economic resources also translates into a disparity between GCC and non-GCC countries’ ability to invest in empowering educators to not only use AI but teach students how to use it ethically. According to a Cambridge University journal article, the MENA region experiences significant brain drain, with its AI graduates immigrating to European and North American tech hubs - a trend that Saudi Arabia counters by offering scholarships, financial incentives, and guaranteed job offers for AI graduates who stay and work in the Kingdom.

Yet despite these challenges, many MENA countries are showing promising moves to integrate AI in education. For example, the American University in Cairo not only developed an ethical AI use guideline for students, they also use AI-powered chatbots to assist students with course registration, offer free access to popular AI tools such as Gemini and Microsoft Co-pilot, and even have an “AI Tools for Educators” course with practical hands-on learning to empower educators to effectively integrate AI technologies in their teaching and administrative workflows. On a national level, the Egyptian government distributed tablets to students in secondary public schools in 2018 to facilitate access to school materials and complete exams. On the other side of North Africa, Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) became the first university in Africa to adopt ChatGPT.Edu to enhance educational and administrative functions across the institution in 2024. However, the playing field is still uneven due to political instability, low economic resources, poor infrastructure, and inadequate training among educators. 

With this in mind, we must reflect on both the opportunities presented by AI’s integration into education and the challenges the GCC will inevitably face along the way.

EdTech and Augmented Learning

There are certainly many positive use cases for AI-assisted learning. GCC schools and universities are already employing many transformative AI-solutions, including intelligent tutoring systems that provide real-time feedback to identify at-risk students by analyzing student performance data, such as grades, attendance records, and engagement levels to provide a holistic view of each student’s learning, enabling educators to make data-driven decisions for tailored interventions. In addition, Natural Language Processing (NLP) can provide real-time assistance to students, guiding them through course materials and providing them with feedback on written assignments. Other interesting use cases include gamified learning platforms, which leverage AI to create interactive learning environments that promote student engagement. 

But is it all a rosy picture?

While AI holds great potential to transform the GCC’s educational landscape, the ethical use of AI in education is a central debate among educational and government leaders globally. 

1. Gaps in AI Governance

An article in the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research argues that GCC nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait adopt a “soft regulation” approach that emphasizes “national strategies and principles” rather than binding regulations in a manner that has led to concerns over “ethics washing” due to a of lack enforcement mechanisms. While GCC nations have signed the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, UNGA, and the OECD AI Principles, which are non-binding agreements, none have signed the binding Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI.

This fractured outcome is not surprising because while ethical and social considerations have been acknowledged through the development of National AI Strategies by each country, safe engagement with AI is overshadowed by the quest for economic growth and innovation. However, without robust Personal Data Protection Laws (PDPLs), it will be difficult to safeguard data rights, including those of students engaging with AI. An article by Nick O’Connel highlights the position of most GCC countries where privacy is only protected under “general provisions of laws not specifically focused on the issue of privacy;’ however, the digitization of education necessitates steps to protect the personal data of teachers and students such as grades, health data or contact details.

2. Training Educators

While numerous training programs are emerging in both the UAE and KSA, offered by government entities, universities, and private providers, the accessibility for expatriate teachers, who form a substantial part of the teaching workforce, varies significantly. Within this context, it is important to note that while the average salary for a teacher in the UAE is AED 8,500 a month, in Saudi Arabia it stands at SAR 6,500. While there are certainly options available to learn AI internationally, their prices vary, and most of the affordable options only offer a “badge” or “certificate of completion.” For teachers working in KSA, this gap poses significant challenges to their ability to remain in KSA on the long term.

The tables below provide an overview of some of the available options for AI training in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While these tables are not comprehensive, they are meant to provide a survey of some of the most common options.

Table 1: UAE Government-Approved AI Programs for Educators

Table 2: KSA Government-Approved AI Programs for Educators