AI spending in the region is set to reach US$39.2 billion by 2029, and organizations are focusing it where the value is clear. Whether you are choosing which use cases to back, deciding how to measure return, or planning how to scale what already works, the decisions you make now will shape your results for years.
Across the region the organisation pulling ahead start with a clear business goal, measure from day one, and build governance as they scale, with people firmly in the loop as agentic AI moves into production.
In this IDC virtual event, you will see where investment is accelerating, how early winners across the region are turning AI into measurable outcomes, and a practical approach to scaling AI with confidence.
By 2029 AI spending in MEA to reach USD 39.2 Billion.
Where AI Value is Emerging
The regional spending picture and the use cases delivering results first.
Measuring AI Value
Setting KPIs and baselines that connect AI to operational and financial results.
Choosing the Right Use Cases
Prioritizing high-value, achievable initiatives with a clear business case.
Scaling AI with Confidence
Building the data, skills, and governance foundations to move from pilot to production, including agentic AI.
IDC’s view of regional AI spending and adoption, and the business priorities shaping where organizations invest.
Where agents are delivering value in IT, HR, finance, and customer service.
Quality, lineage, and access controls that decide whether AI projects scale or stall.
Network readiness for distributed AI workloads.
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Policies, ownership, and audit processes that keep pace with deployment.
Research Vice President, Worldwide Enterprise AI
IDC
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Associate Research Director, Artificial Intelligence (META)
IDC
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Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
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Dr. Chris Marshall is Program Vice President for IDC Asia Pacific, responsible for the Analytics, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence practice. Dr. Marshall’s core research coverage includes the development of Data Analytics and Machine Learning competencies and their implications – the threats and opportunities facing organizations as they seek to augment and automate their knowledge-based work.
Previously, Chris was a senior executive in IBM Watson Financial Services where he led their AI-enabled risk and analytics practice in Asia. Before joining IBM, he held senior business development and management roles in big data and analytics at KPMG, Oracle and UBS.
In his role as associate research director for IT services and software across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), Melih drives IDC’s regional research and consulting engagements in the areas of IT services, Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent automation.
He first joined IDC in 2012 as a senior research analyst located out of IDC’s Istanbul office, with various responsibilities for the firm’s IT services, cloud computing, software, and telecom domains — both in Turkey and across the wider META region. Between 2016 and 2021, Melih headed the international marketing and investor relations practice at P.I. Works, a global automation and AI software vendor that serves telecom operators.
Now back at IDC, Melih is leveraging his vast experience in the IT services, cloud, software, and telecommunications domains to advise clients on go-to-market strategies, technology marketing and promotion activities, and market trends analysis. He is also driving a wide variety of research and consulting projects across the META region.
Melih has also previously served as enterprise channel and marketing manager at Nortel Turkey and as business development and strategy manager at Netaş, one of the leading systems integrators in Turkey and a former Nortel subsidiary. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and received his MBA from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He has worked as a business development specialist at HP and wrote his MBA thesis for the company, covering European retail channel trends and winning strategies for channel businesses.
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