Mena leads world in AI jobs optimism as calls for regulation grow

Show caption: About 66 per cent of respondents in Mena believe AI will cre…

Sharp divide by region over technology's future impact on employment

The National

October 28, 2026

• The Mena region leads globally in AI optimism, with 66 per cent believing the technology will create more quality jobs than it destroys.
• Africa tops cryptocurrency acceptance at 81 per cent, with Mena close behind at 71 per cent, far exceeding the Global North's 30 per cent.
• Despite regional optimism, 85 per cent of global respondents want a regulatory framework and human oversight governing AI development.
• Energy and fuel costs have emerged as a growing concern, with worry rising to 42 per cent in the Global North, up from 29 per cent.
• "Half of all respondents continue to cite the cost of living as their number one concern, underlining a global confidence crisis unrepresented in headlines," said the FII Institute's chief executive, Dr Maha bint Mishari.

People in the Global South are significantly more optimistic than those in wealthier economies about artificial intelligence creating jobs, even as growing enthusiasm for the technology is accompanied by overwhelming demands for tighter regulation, a new study has found.

About 43 per cent of respondents in the Global South disagree that AI will create more quality jobs than it destroys, compared with 70 per cent in the Global North, according to the Future Investment Initiative Institute's Priority Compass report released on Wednesday.

The findings highlight a sharp divide between the Global South and wealthier economies over AI's impact on employment, even as 85 per cent of respondents worldwide back a global regulatory framework to ensure greater human oversight.

Globally, 54 per cent disagree that AI will create more quality jobs than it destroys.

The report surveyed more than 61,000 respondents across 32 countries. The Mena nations in the study were Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco.

A consistent view in all regions was that they want AI to be subject to more human oversight, with 85 per cent overall saying they want a global framework and rules to regulate the growing technology.

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The clamour is “underscoring a global demand for human control on emerging technologies”, Maha bint Mishari, chief executive of the FII Institute, wrote in the report.

For the acceptance of cryptocurrencies, Africa was the most positive with 81 per cent, followed by the three Mena countries surveyed at 71 per cent. The Global South's overall score was 69 per cent, more than double the Global North's 30 per cent, with Europe's 28 per cent the least positive.

Meanwhile, inflation remains the top concern around the cost of living, but energy and fuel costs have risen to become the next biggest worry, the study revealed.

The impact of successive crises in the Middle East on fuel prices has been felt most heavily in the Global North, with concern about fuel costs rising to 42 per cent, up from 29 per cent last year.

In contrast, low wages still come second in the Global South – at 32 per cent against 17 per cent in the Global North – but energy costs have also become more of a worry in the Global South, rising from 22 per cent last year to 29 per cent in 2026, the FII Institute said.

“Half of all respondents continue to cite the cost of living as their number one concern, underlining a global confidence crisis unrepresented in headlines,” Ms bint Mishari said.

“People everywhere are feeling the impact of inflation, job insecurity and the pressure of everyday expenses.”

Updated:

October 28, 2026, 7:00 AM