Artificial Intelligence and Employment Futures for the Arab Region

This joint report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the International Labour Organization – Regional Office for Arab States (ILO-ROAS) examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping employment, skills and productivity in the Arab region between 2025 and 2035. As AI investment, infrastructure and adoption accelerate across the region, the impacts on labour markets are becoming both immediate and transformative. Drawing on modelling, regional data and a strategic foresight methodology, the report analyses how AI-driven automation and augmentation may alter sectoral balances, occupational structures and job quality. It highlights the importance of inclusive skills systems, lifelong learning pathways and adaptive social protection to ensure a just transition. Through three alternative future scenarios set in 2035, the report offers policymakers a structured framework to anticipate uncertainties and shape proactive responses. It concludes with actionable national and regional policy recommendations to harness AI as a driver of sustainable, inclusive and resilient development in the Arab region.