Saudi business leaders Turn to AI and M&A for Growth 

Right now, Saudi business leaders are leaning hard into artificial intelligence along with smart company takeovers to fuel growth in 2026 – that’s what PwC’s newest poll of top bosses across the country shows. From offices in Riyadh and Jeddah comes a steady belief: non-oil sectors will keep gaining strength, thanks to massive new developments tied to Vision 2030, more money flowing in from overseas investors, plus efforts to build up tech, travel, and banking instead of relying only on oil. With these shifts unfolding, reshaping operations using AI – like automating support tasks or forecasting supply needs – has moved front and center in leadership talks, letting firms run smoother even when world markets wobble. 

Right now, many Saudi chief executives see mergers and acquisitions as a quicker way to gain skills they’d otherwise need ages to grow on their own. Instead of waiting, companies in areas such as financial tech, health infrastructure, and factory automation buy smaller regional firms – sometimes just partial shares in digital platforms – to reach fast-expanding customers at home and beyond into neighboring Gulf nations. Often, these purchases come with support from national wealth funds or loans from hometown banks, showing how government-backed systems favor big, ambitious plays. 

Still, some worry about split rules across regions, missing skilled workers, or weak spots in digital defenses as artificial intelligence sinks deeper into daily workflows. Because of these issues, several companies in Saudi Arabia now back structures built with oversight from day one, written promises to keep tech fair, and stronger shields against online threats – so expansion doesn’t erode confidence or balance. With ambitions to lead innovation locally, two forces – smart machines reshaping industries and well-placed company takeovers – are expected to shape corporate progress there until 2030.