Dr. Lars Littig (left) and Rami Mourtada.
Doha: The latest report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) highlights the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region’s exemplary performance in digital government services, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) achieving global leadership in citizen satisfaction.
This sixth edition of BCG’s GCC Digital Government Citizen Survey illustrates the growing integration of digital services into daily life across the region, setting new benchmarks for efficiency and accessibility in public service.
BCG’s findings show that GCC countries lead globally in citizen satisfaction with digital government services, reaching a net satisfaction score of 81 percent.
GCC citizens also report using these services 22 percent more frequently than the global average, reflecting high engagement and a strong commitment from governments to deliver quality digital experiences.
Notably, 76 percent of GCC citizens embrace AI-powered government services driven by virtual assistants and personalized solutions that enhance accessibility and efficiency.
Additionally, 42 percent of GCC respondents expect services to perform at regional and global top-performer standards in 2024.
“The citizens of the GCC are increasingly holding their governments to the same standards as major tech players, expecting rapid, innovative solutions that meet their needs efficiently and seamlessly,” said Rami Mourtada, Partner & Director of Digital Transformation, BCG.
“GCC governments are delivering on these expectations by embracing a digital-first approach and moving at the pace with global emerging tech trends. With the transformative potential of Generative AI ahead, sustained investment and innovation will be crucial to maintaining their leadership in government services and meeting the evolving demands of the digital age. “As global interest in GenAI expands, GCC emerges as a leader.
As found in the report, citizens in the GCC exhibited a net trust of 71 percent, forty-nine percentage points higher than the global average, for their government use of AI in digital services.
This leading level of trust has also been matched with substantial investments in AI and digital infrastructure across the region led by public initiatives.
Leading this charge, Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Data and AI targets economic growth with a projected contribution of SAR500bn ($133.3bn) to GDP by 2030.
Similarly, Qatar is driving digital transformation through strategic collaborations with Qatar University and tech providers to upskill ICT professionals in AI, 5G, and cloud computing.
Rounding out these advances the UAE’s Technology Innovation Institute has positioned itself as an AI leader by developing the open-source Falcon LLM, demonstrating the region’s technology capabilities in generative AI.
These coordinated efforts across GCC combine public trust with strategic investments and technological advancement in AI.
“The GCC stands at a real and unprecedented opportunity,” said Dr. Lars Littig, Managing Director & Partner, BCG, and EMESA Leader of BCG’s Center for Digital Government.
“Achieving a cohesive, government-wide digital evolution requires a strategic vision, solid governance, and effective coordination within and outside the public sector. In the GCC, governments are advancing data governance and responsible AI practices to build citizen trust, treating data as a national resource that fuels smarter policy decisions.”
