Dubai Press Club launches ‘Arab Media in the Age of AI’ report at the Arab Media Summit

The Dubai Press Club (DPC) today launched ‘Arab Media in the Age of AI’, a new report examining how artificial intelligence is transforming the media industry across the Arab world. The report was unveiled today during the Arab Media Summit, taking place from 15 to 17 September.

The report was launched during a session exploring its key findings, featuring Emmanuel Durou, Senior Partner and Technology, Media and Telecommunications Leader at Deloitte Middle East; and Hend Fekri, Director of Strategic Media Relations at the Government of Dubai Media Office.

Developed by DPC in collaboration with leading global business consultancy Deloitte, the report provides a strategic view of AI’s impact across four core segments of Arab media: video, audio, gaming, and strategic communications and public relations. It analyses the impact of new technologies across the media value chain, from the creation of content to its distribution and monetisation, and examines how traditional, generative, agentic and synthetic AI are changing the way media organisations operate and compete.

The report covers 10 markets across the Middle East and North Africa: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco. 

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and President of the Dubai Press Club, said: “The Arab media industry is entering a new phase, driven by rapid technological change and evolving audience expectations. This transformation makes it essential for decision-makers to understand where the industry is headed and how to prepare for it. ‘Arab Media in the Age of AI’ is part of Dubai Press Club’s strategy to equip decision-makers with the insight needed to navigate the transformation in the media sector. While AI offers significant opportunities, its long-term value will depend on how we strengthen talent, trust and cultural relevance. Our ambition is for Arab media not only to adapt to this change, but to help shape it.”

Emmanuel Durou, Senior Partner and Technology, Media and Telecommunications Leader at Deloitte Middle East, said: “AI is moving from individual use cases to a broader transformation of how media organisations operate. Drawing on data-led insights, this report helps media leaders identify where AI can create real value and build the foundations needed to scale it responsibly. As AI becomes more accessible, the advantage will come from how organisations apply it: where they automate, where they augment, and where human creativity, judgement and authenticity remain essential.”

Regional growth set to exceed global average
The report estimates AI-in-media spending in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at $520 million in 2026, with growth expected to outpace the global average by around three percentage points through 2030, placing the region among the world’s fastest-growing markets.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar together account for 51% of MENA spending in 2026, demonstrating the concentration of investment in the Gulf. At the same time, faster growth in Egypt and Morocco indicates that adoption is broadening beyond the Gulf. Investment momentum indicates that AI is moving from experimentation towards becoming a more material component of media technology and transformation agendas.

The composition of spending also signals a shift from experimentation to implementation. Software accounts for 62% of AI-in-media expenditure and services for 38%. Within software, content generation and distribution represent almost 60% of spending, reflecting the immediate focus on producing content more efficiently and improving how it reaches audiences.

Hend Fekri, Director of Strategic Media Relations at the Government of Dubai Media Office, said: “‘Arab Media in the Age of AI’ offers a timely perspective on the new possibilities opening up for media across our region. As we work to advance the media sector, we are committed to supporting the media community in harnessing new technologies like AI to strengthen their capabilities and competitiveness, drive its continued evolution, and open new avenues for growth and innovation. The next chapter for Arab media will be defined by how creatively we turn these possibilities into meaningful impact.”

UAE leads regional adoption
The UAE demonstrates the region’s broadest organisational adoption of AI at 75%, ahead of Saudi Arabia at 70% and Qatar at 65%, and is particularly advanced in synthetic-media applications.

The UAE’s position reflects a shift from individual use cases towards more integrated adoption across media organisations. The report highlights the country’s potential to contribute to the development of regional approaches to AI governance, Arabic-language capabilities, talent development and the responsible use of synthetic content.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar also show significant activity across translation, newsroom and workflow applications. Adoption stands at 40% in Egypt and 35% in Lebanon, where AI use remains more concentrated in content creation and newsroom-related tasks.

AI reshapes four media segments
The report finds that AI is streamlining video and audio production, enabling more personalised content and adaptive gaming experiences, and helping strategic communications teams anticipate emerging narratives and respond faster. Across the media value chain, it is also creating new opportunities in advertising, subscriptions, licensing and digital commerce.

Talent, trust and leadership
As routine tasks become increasingly automated, human judgement, creativity, cultural understanding and accountability are gaining importance. The report calls for stronger AI skills, redesigned entry-level career pathways, and greater focus on verification, transparency and intellectual property rights.

It urges media leaders to target investment where AI can create clear value, treat Arabic content and data as strategic assets, strengthen human-AI collaboration, and embed trust and governance into their operating models.

The full report, featuring deeper analysis, case studies and recommendations for media leaders, can be accessed at Arab Media in the Age of AI | Arab Media Summit.