Kuwait has been recognised as an “AI Practitioner” in a new study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), placing the country among 30 economies worldwide making tangible strides in adopting artificial intelligence across key sectors.
The report, “GCC AI Pulse: Mapping the Region’s Readiness for an AI-Driven Future”, uses BCG’s 2025 AI Maturity Matrix to assess national progress in the field. Kuwait joins Qatar, Bahrain and Oman in the Practitioner category — a tier above “Emergents”, but below “Contenders” and “Pioneers”. The highest-ranked “Pioneers” include global leaders such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
While Gulf nations have yet to reach the Pioneer level, BCG says the findings reveal “substantial opportunities” for the region to build leadership in AI readiness.
Bridging ambition and execution
Dmitry Garanin, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, praised Kuwait’s commitment to embedding AI in national development.
“Kuwait’s National AI Strategy underlines a significant ambition that, if supported by skilling, policy innovation, and targeted investment, can transform the country into a regional AI powerhouse,” he said. “The challenge now is to evolve from strategy to execution.”
The Kuwait National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, developed by the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT), forms a core element of Kuwait’s Vision 2035. It prioritises digital infrastructure, AI talent development, and ethical governance. The framework aims to enhance public services, foster economic diversification, and establish Kuwait as a hub for AI innovation.
Current initiatives include a National Skilling Programme for government employees and efforts to design an AI governance framework. However, experts note that broader, large-scale training and targeted financial investment are needed to strengthen the workforce and support startups.
Uneven progress
Despite its ambitious plans, Kuwait’s progress across AI indicators remains uneven. According to the report, Kuwait scores strongly on ambition (5 out of 5), but lags behind in investment (0.67) and research (0.33).
Although the country has a $7 billion public fund for SMEs, no specific allocation is earmarked for AI projects. Plans are underway to establish an AI Centre of Excellence to boost academic-industry collaboration, while partnerships with Microsoft and Google Cloud aim to enhance digital infrastructure through AI-powered data centres.
Path to leadership
Dr Lars Littig, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, said Kuwait’s Practitioner status marked a “critical first step” towards long-term AI leadership.
“The stark contrast between Kuwait’s ambitions and the current gaps in skills, investment, and innovation highlights a pivotal moment for decision-makers,” he said. “By doubling down on talent, startups, and responsible AI deployment, Kuwait has the potential to set a benchmark not only in the Gulf, but globally.”
Gulf-wide opportunities
The report recommends regional governments expand AI talent pipelines, attract international expertise, and align governance structures with global ethics frameworks. It also urges greater investment in research and development to drive innovation and reinforce academia-industry links.
Analysts argue such measures are vital for Kuwait and its Gulf neighbours if they are to close the gap with world leaders including the US, UK, China, and Singapore, and establish themselves as influential players in the global AI landscape.
