Government HR leaders across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are reassessing how public institutions develop talent, deploy artificial intelligence (AI), and measure workforce performance as national transformation programmes accelerate. These priorities will take centre stage at the 14th Annual GCC GOV HR & Youth Summit and Awards, scheduled for 20–21 October 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl. Organised by QNA International under the theme “Time of Opportunities: Uncovering the New Realities of Work,” the summit will bring together public-sector executives, policymakers, HR leaders, and emerging talent to discuss the future of government work.

GCC Government HR Shifts Focus to AI and Talent Development

Public-sector human resources teams across the Gulf are facing a broader mandate: prepare institutions and employees for continuous change rather than simply manage recruitment, administration, and workforce processes.

That shift will be a central theme at the 14th Annual GCC GOV HR & Youth Summit and Awards, taking place in Abu Dhabi on 20–21 October 2026. Organised by QNA International, the event will examine how government organisations can translate digital transformation into stronger leadership, workforce capability, and public value.

The agenda reflects a growing challenge for government HR departments. Introducing new technology is only one part of modernisation. Institutions must also develop employees’ digital skills, establish accountability for automated decisions, and build organisational cultures that support learning and adaptation.

Government HR Moves Beyond Administrative Work

One of the clearest themes emerging from the summit’s speaker perspectives is the need to measure government performance by outcomes rather than activity.

His Highness Captain Shaikh Abdulaziz Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director of Excellence Awards Branch at Ajman Police, argued that government excellence should focus on impact, added value, and the ability to anticipate change. Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Executive Director of Support Services at a UAE government entity, similarly emphasised creating greater value for people instead of simply accelerating existing processes.

For HR leaders, this means reconsidering how workforce performance is assessed. Traditional measures such as hiring volumes, training completion rates, and time-to-fill vacancies remain useful, but they do not necessarily show whether employees can solve problems, improve services, or respond to emerging public needs.

Brigadier Rashid Nasser Rashid Abdullah, Director of the General Department of Human Resources at Dubai Police, described the challenge as moving from managing workforces to developing leaders who can learn, adapt, and take initiative.

The practical implication is a stronger connection between HR strategy and institutional performance. Workforce planning, leadership development, employee experience, and skills management increasingly need to operate as connected functions rather than separate programmes.

AI Adoption Brings New Responsibilities for HR

Artificial intelligence is another major focus, particularly as public institutions explore more automated and predictive approaches to service delivery.

In April 2026, the UAE government announced a framework targeting the transformation of 50% of government sectors and services to agentic AI within two years. A subsequent federal programme outlined plans to train 80,000 employees in agentic AI capabilities. These initiatives demonstrate the scale of workforce preparation being considered alongside technological deployment.

For HR departments, the implications extend beyond arranging AI training. Employees need to understand where automated systems can assist decision-making, when human review is necessary, and who remains accountable for outcomes affecting citizens and colleagues.

Iman Khalid Al Marzouqi, Group Chief Support Services Officer at Alpha Dhabi Holding, highlighted the responsibility of HR leaders in shaping AI use and determining accountability for decisions affecting people. Maitha A. Balfaqeeh, Senior Vice President of Shared Services at ADNOC Gas, pointed to the potential for AI to move shared services beyond transactional work towards more predictive and employee-focused operations.

These developments also raise questions about employee trust, data privacy, transparency, and the redesign of existing roles. HR technology providers will need to demonstrate not only efficiency gains but also appropriate governance, explainability, and safeguards for sensitive workforce information.

The UAE’s Charter for the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence explicitly addresses responsible AI use, privacy, and data security, reinforcing the importance of governance alongside adoption.

National Talent Development Takes Priority

Workforce localisation and the development of national talent form another important part of the discussion.

Across the region, government-led economic transformation programmes are increasing the emphasis on building local capabilities, improving skills, and preparing younger professionals for evolving labour-market requirements.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, for example, identifies human-capital development, lifelong learning, youth employment readiness, and alignment between education and labour-market needs as priorities.

Reem AlRehaili, Chief of Corporate Services at ARDARA, a Saudi Public Investment Fund company, said the challenge is not simply increasing the number of Saudi nationals in employment, but building their capabilities. Other summit contributors highlighted mentorship, meaningful responsibility, and opportunities for younger employees to participate in institutional decision-making.

This approach has implications for recruitment technology, skills intelligence platforms, leadership pipelines, and learning management systems. Organisations need better visibility into employees’ existing capabilities, the skills required for future roles, and the development opportunities that can close those gaps.

For younger professionals, the challenge is equally significant. Digital fluency can provide an advantage, but long-term progression also depends on understanding organisational priorities, collaborating across functions, and developing sound judgement.

From Workforce Planning to Institutional Readiness

The summit’s focus on Human-Centric Government, Workforce 2035, Nationalization 2.0, and GCC Next-Gen Leaders connects these issues to a broader question: how can governments build institutions that remain effective as technology, public expectations, and workforce needs change?

Sidh N.C., Director of QNA International, said the discussions would bring together leaders and emerging talent shaping the next phase of public service across the region.

The event is positioned as a forum for exchanging practical ideas on workforce transformation, leadership, AI, and talent development. Its significance will ultimately depend on how these conversations translate into measurable improvements in government capability and employee experience.

For HR leaders, the challenge is no longer simply to introduce new systems. It is to ensure people can use them responsibly, develop the skills required for changing roles, and deliver better outcomes for the communities they serve.

Market Landscape

The GCC government HR market is increasingly shaped by three connected priorities:

• AI-enabled government operations: The UAE’s agentic AI initiative is increasing the importance of workforce readiness, reskilling, governance, and human oversight.

• National workforce development: Saudi Vision 2030 prioritises skills development, lifelong learning, and preparing citizens for changing labour-market requirements.

• Integrated HR technology: Government employers need systems that connect workforce planning, learning, performance management, skills intelligence, and employee experience.

For HR SaaS vendors, recruitment platforms, workforce analytics providers, and learning technology companies, these priorities create opportunities to support government transformation. However, procurement decisions will also need to account for data sovereignty, regulatory requirements, integration with legacy systems, accessibility, and the responsible use of AI.

The competitive opportunity is not simply to automate existing HR processes. It is to help public institutions develop a workforce that can adapt to changing service requirements while maintaining transparency, trust, and accountability.

Top Insights

• GCC public-sector HR is shifting from administrative workforce management towards strategic leadership development, institutional readiness, and measurable public-service outcomes.

• Agentic AI adoption increases demand for employee reskilling, accountable decision-making, transparent governance, and stronger human oversight across government operations.

• National talent strategies are placing greater emphasis on capabilities, lifelong learning, mentorship, and preparing young professionals for future leadership roles.

• HR technology providers can differentiate through integrated workforce intelligence, personalised learning pathways, and responsible AI capabilities designed for public-sector requirements.

• The summit provides a platform for government leaders to examine how digital transformation can improve employee experience and long-term institutional performance.

  Join thousands of HR leaders who rely on HRTechEdge for the latest in workforce technology, AI-driven HR solutions, and strategic insights