Kuwait is stepping up efforts to strengthen regulatory compliance across key business sectors while introducing smarter procedures for traffic enforcement, with new measures covering anti-money laundering obligations and vehicle impoundments.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued Decisions 172 and 173 of 2026, setting out anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) requirements for companies operating in the gold, gemstones and precious metals sectors, as well as real estate brokerage firms.

In a statement to KUNA on Tuesday, the ministry said the decisions aim to raise compliance levels and regulate the obligations of sectors operating under its supervision, supporting broader national efforts to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, according to the Kuwait News Agency.

New compliance requirements for businesses

Under Decision 172, establishments and companies operating in gold, gemstones and precious metals must establish policies, procedures and internal control systems that reflect the size and nature of their operations, as well as the level of risks they face.

Decision 173 introduces similar requirements for companies and establishments engaged in real estate brokerage. The ministry said these businesses must implement appropriate policies, procedures and internal control systems based on their operational scale, nature of activities and associated risks.

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The measures place greater emphasis on risk-based compliance and internal controls, reinforcing the responsibilities of businesses operating in sectors that can be vulnerable to financial crime.

At the same time, Kuwait is moving to modernise how traffic-related vehicle impoundments are carried out, with drivers set to receive an alternative to keeping their vehicles in government garages.

Smart home impoundments begin Sunday

From Sunday, September 6, drivers whose vehicles are impounded for violations covered by the approved regulations will be able to keep their vehicles at a designated location under a smart home-impoundment system adopted by the General Traffic Department.

A smart device will be fitted to the vehicle at the scene of the violation. The impoundment period will begin at midnight on the same day, giving drivers time to move their vehicles to the location designated for home impoundment.

The system applies to vehicles whose violations require impoundment under existing regulations and procedures, the Ministry of Interior said in a post on its official Instagram account.

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Installing the device will cost KWD10, followed by KWD2 for each day of impoundment. Vehicles already being held at traffic impoundment garages can also be transferred to the smart system for the remainder of their impoundment period, the department said.

According to a report in Kuwait Times, drivers will receive a notification through the government’s Sahel app when the impoundment period ends. They must then visit one of the locations designated by the General Traffic Department to complete the vehicle release procedures.

The department said the smart system forms part of the Ministry of Interior’s strategy to develop services, simplify procedures and expand the use of smart technologies.

It also urged drivers to comply with traffic laws and avoid violations, stressing that adherence to regulations is essential for their safety and the safety of other road users.

Three years after entering the Middle East, Globant is using LEAP 2026 to make a pointed statement: what it is bringing to Riyadh is “deliberately not a showcase of concepts” but systems already running in production. The technology company, whose regional headquarters now operates as a centre of excellence for AI, creativity and digital solutions, is arriving with live demonstrations rather than slideware — from the content-delivery platform it built for Formula 1, which powers all ten teams and feeds the official F1 app, to Glob.ai, its new AI-native services model delivered through specialised ‘AI Pods’.

Its headline announcement, though, is in tourism. Unveiled on LEAP’s World Tech Stage, the Agentic Tourism Corridor is what Globant describes as the world’s first live agent-to-agent tourism network — connecting the sovereign AI destination agents of Red Sea Global and AlUla so they can communicate directly and coordinate a guest’s journey across both, while each destination keeps full control of its own data. Built with AWS and TOURISE, it marks a shift from tourism technology that responds to a query to destination agents that actively coordinate to deliver one continuous visitor experience — infrastructure, Globant argues, built to scale alongside the kingdom’s tourism ambitions under Vision 2030.

Here, Federico Pienovi, Globant’s CBO and CEO for MENA and APAC, talks to Gulf Business about the corridor and why it matters, the company’s newly announced FIFA partnership to build a year-round fan-experience ecosystem powered by AI Pods, and how the same agentic thinking is reshaping sport, media and entertainment across the region.

Can you provide an overview of Globant’s presence and activities at LEAP 2026?
LEAP 2026 marks three years since we entered the Middle East, and our Riyadh headquarters now operates as a Centre of Excellence for AI, creativity and digital solutions. What we are bringing to LEAP is deliberately not a showcase of concepts — it is systems already running in production. We will run a live demonstration of the team content delivery system we built for Formula 1, which today powers all 10 teams with a synchronised video and data platform that gives every pit wall a unified, real-time view of more than 30 feeds and eight radio channels simultaneously, and, through the official F1 App, gives fans the tools to design their own race weekend.

We are also presenting Glob.ai, our recently launched AI-native services model, which changes how technology is delivered, priced and executed; enterprises access those services through the platform, with AI Pods as the specialised delivery units that operate on it. Alongside that, our teams will work through what agentic AI is producing in the sectors that matter most to this region: financial services, real estate, gaming, retail and entertainment, with daily sessions with our partners AWS, Salesforce, Adobe, Infobip and Sitecore.

In tourism, our headline announcement is the Agentic Tourism Corridor, unveiled on the World Tech Stage. We believe it is the world’s first live agent-to-agent tourism network, connecting sovereign AI destination agents across Red Sea Global and AlUla. Built with AWS and TOURISE, it allows the AI agents of two of the kingdom’s most ambitious destinations to communicate directly and plan a guest’s journey across both, while each destination retains full control of its own data. That is a structural shift: from tourism technology that responds to a query, to destination agents that actively coordinate to deliver one continuous visitor journey.

We are applying the same logic in sport, presenting the operating system for sport’s next era on the Sports Hub Stage with partners including LALIGA.

Globant is launching the Agentic Tourism Corridor with TOURISE at LEAP. What exactly is this initiative, and why is it significant for the tourism sector?
The Agentic Tourism Corridor represents a genuine world-first in tourism technology; it’s the first live Agent-to-Agent tourism corridor, connecting sovereign AI destination agents between Red Sea Global and AlUla. What makes this groundbreaking is the shift from traditional tourism technology, where systems simply respond to queries, to an agentic model where AI destination agents actively communicate with each other to create seamless, personalised visitor journeys across multiple destinations.

Built in partnership with AWS, Red Sea Global, AlUla, and TOURISE, this corridor demonstrates how AI can transform the entire tourism ecosystem rather than just individual touchpoints.

For the kingdom, which is investing heavily in becoming a global tourism destination, this represents infrastructure that can scale across future destinations and create connected experiences that simply weren’t possible before. We’re demonstrating this live at LEAP 2026, showing how two of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious tourism developments can work together through intelligent AI agents to deliver unified experiences for visitors.

How does this tourism initiative fit into Globant’s broader work in the travel and hospitality sector in the region?
Globant has been working to help organisations build frictionless, personalised guest journeys — whether that’s cruise lines, theme parks, or hotels — by blending AI-enabled services, analytics, and what we call ‘phygital’ experiences that merge physical and digital touchpoints. The Agentic Tourism Corridor with Red Sea Global, AlUla, and TOURISE is the most visible expression of this work, but it sits within a broader portfolio of tourism partnerships across the region. What distinguishes our approach is that we’re not simply digitising existing processes; we’re reimagining how destinations can operate as connected ecosystems rather than isolated experiences.

The region’s tourism ambitions under Vision 2030 require technology that can match the scale and sophistication of developments like Red Sea Global and AlUla, and agentic AI provides the foundation for experiences that adapt in real-time to visitor preferences, local conditions, and cross-destination opportunities. This is tourism infrastructure designed for destinations that don’t yet exist at full scale, built to grow alongside the kingdom’s ambitions.

FIFA recently selected Globant to build its fan experience ecosystem using AI Pods by Glob.ai. Can you explain what this partnership involves and what it signals about the future of sports technology?
In August 2026, FIFA selected Globant to build a continuous, year-round fan experience ecosystem for billions of football fans worldwide, powered by our AI Pods through Glob.ai. This engagement spans three core platforms: FIFA ID, which serves as the connective tissue recognising fans across every digital touchpoint; FIFA.com, which is evolving into a personalised content hub; and the FIFA Tournament App, which unifies schedules, real-time content, and host-city insights. What makes this partnership particularly significant is that FIFA explicitly embraced an AI-native, consumption-based model, moving away from traditional technology services toward outcomes-based delivery.

Initial pilots have already demonstrated a 20 per cent efficiency increase in throughput generation while maintaining or improving quality. Critically, all institutional knowledge generated through this engagement is secured in a proprietary token vault, ensuring FIFA maintains full ownership of its data. This partnership validates Glob.ai as a production-ready infrastructure for the world’s largest sporting organisation. For the Middle East, this has direct relevance as the region prepares for major sporting events, including the 2034 World Cup ambitions, where the same connected fan experience principles will be essential.

How is AI transforming industries beyond sports, particularly in the media and entertainment sector?
AI is fundamentally changing how media and entertainment organisations create, distribute, and monetise content. Globant works across the entire content lifecycle, from AI-enhanced archival content that can breathe new life into historical footage, to real-time, large-scale event streaming that adapts to viewer preferences and technical conditions. The shift we’re seeing is from AI as an efficiency tool to AI as a creative and operational foundation.

Media organisations can now build premium video and content experiences across every consumer device while integrating technology, data, and creativity in ways that weren’t previously possible. In the region, we work with organisations applying these capabilities to help media companies grow their audiences and create differentiated experiences. What’s particularly relevant for the Middle East is how AI enables media organisations to scale premium content production and distribution to match the region’s growing entertainment ambitions — from sports broadcasting to streaming platforms to live events.

The combination of our Media & Entertainment AI Studio with capabilities from Globant GUT, our creative network recognised as the most creative independent advertising network at Cannes Lions 2023, allows us to deliver full-funnel brand and content experiences that integrate technology and creativity rather than treating them as separate disciplines.

The UAE’s push to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is creating opportunities for Indian companies across renewable energy, waste management, sustainable construction, green finance, electric mobility and climate technology, industry executives said.

The opportunities come as India and the UAE seek to increase bilateral trade to $200bn by 2030, with sustainability and clean technology potentially becoming a larger component of economic ties between the two countries.

Speaking at a webinar organised by the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC Dubai) Energy & Climate Focus Group, former Indian ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir said companies should prepare for tighter climate-related requirements rather than wait for regulation to develop further.

“Compliance is a cost, but the cost of being late will be higher than the cost of being early,” Sudhir said.

He pointed to the UAE’s Federal Decree No. 11 of 2024 and a broader shift in the climate agenda from voluntary commitments towards compliance.

“The transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is accelerating,” Sudhir said, highlighting what he described as the complementary strengths of India’s technology, innovation and clean-energy pipeline and the UAE’s capital, infrastructure and market access.

About 87 per cent of India’s renewable energy capacity is privately owned, according to figures cited during the webinar, highlighting the role of private companies in the country’s energy transition.

Samiullah Khan, a sustainability and net-zero specialist and COP speaker, said opportunities for Indian companies extended beyond solar power to areas including wind energy, microgrids, rooftop systems, geothermal energy, carbon credits, direct air carbon capture, energy-efficiency solutions and emissions measurement.

“Businesses need to adapt and anticipate, rather than simply react,” Khan said.

Key areas with potential

Building retrofits, waste management and e-mobility were identified during the discussion as areas offering more immediate opportunities for Indian businesses.

Participants said India’s experience in areas including electric motorcycles, building retrofits and waste-management technology could potentially be adapted for the UAE market.

Agritech and water-efficient technologies were also identified as potential areas for cooperation as the UAE seeks to increase green spaces and transform desert environments.

The discussion cited the 90/90 Waste Management Initiative, described as an India-led collaboration involving international partners and Dubai stakeholders, as an example of technology developed in India being adapted and deployed in the UAE.

The discussion also highlighted the growing importance of emissions reporting and management. Businesses were encouraged to begin with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, while preparing for the more complex challenge of Scope 3 emissions across supply chains.

“Fix what you can control,” Khan said, adding that artificial intelligence could help companies measure and manage emissions, but that technology ultimately needed to produce commercially viable results.

Rising importance of CFOs

Participants said the increasing impact of sustainability on costs, risk and investment decisions was also likely to give chief financial officers a greater role in corporate climate strategies.

Sahitya Chaturvedi, secretary general of IBPC Dubai, said the council’s Energy & Climate Focus Group was established to help businesses understand the commercial implications of the UAE’s sustainability agenda.

“This is not simply a climate conversation. It is about business contribution and opportunity,” he said.

Advait Thakur, convener of the IBPC Dubai Energy & Climate Focus Group, said IBPC Dubai planned further industry engagement and a best practices white paper highlighting practical sustainability solutions and initiatives.

“The opportunity is now to move from commitments to partnerships, pilots, investment and scalable green-economy solutions,” Thakur said.

The GCC ranks among the world’s leading regions for workplace artificial intelligence adoption, with 93 per cent of frontline employees using AI at least several times a week, according to Boston Consulting Group.

The figure compares with a global average of 74 per cent among frontline employees, according to BCG’s fourth annual AI at Work report, titled Strategy Matters More Than Tools.

Among managers and leaders in the GCC, AI adoption was even higher at 95 per cent, according to regional findings covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.

The findings highlight the rapid adoption of AI across Gulf workplaces as governments and companies invest heavily in the technology.

However, BCG said widespread use alone would not guarantee companies achieve meaningful business benefits, with strategy, workforce training and changes to working practices becoming increasingly important.

The study found productivity gains are already significant. About 58 per cent of frontline employees in the GCC said AI saved them at least eight hours a week, rising to 67 per cent among managers and leaders.

AI is also changing the skills companies expect from workers. About 85 per cent of GCC frontline employees and 92 per cent of managers and leaders said AI had changed the skills expected of them in their jobs.

“The GCC’s exceptional AI adoption rates reflect a workforce that has moved decisively beyond experimentation into real integration,” said Robert Xu, managing director and partner at BCG X.

Xu said the region’s highest-performing organisations stood out not simply for deploying AI tools, but for investing in employees’ AI capabilities and redesigning how work was done.

Globally, 74 per cent of frontline employees are now regular AI users, up 23 percentage points from 2025, according to BCG. India and Middle Eastern markets were among those recording the highest levels of regular frontline AI use.

AI agents could reshape jobs
The growing use of autonomous AI agents could bring a more significant change to workplaces over the next several years.

Around 60 per cent of GCC frontline employees and 66 per cent of managers and leaders believe AI agents could perform at least half of their current job responsibilities within the next three years, according to BCG’s regional findings.

Despite those expectations, concerns about job losses remained relatively contained. About 28 per cent of frontline employees and 29 per cent of managers and leaders in the GCC said they feared losing their jobs to AI.

The technology also appears to be having a positive effect on workplace satisfaction for many users. About 69 per cent of GCC frontline workers and 77 per cent of managers and leaders reported greater enjoyment at work since adopting AI, according to BCG.

Globally, however, the study found a widening gap between AI adoption and companies’ ability to translate the time it saves into greater business value.
Among frontline employees who regularly use AI worldwide, 42 per cent reported saving at least eight hours a week. Yet 66 per cent received limited or no guidance on what to do with the time saved, while more than half said they were not reinvesting that time in more strategic work.

“The promisingly rapid initial phase of AI adoption will only be sustained with deliberate leadership action,” said Rami Mourtada, partner and director at BCG.
Mourtada said organisations needed clear strategic guidance and greater alignment between what management says about AI and how employees actually use the technology in their daily work.

Training also remains a significant challenge. Globally, 72 per cent of respondents said AI had changed the skills expected of them, while only 36 per cent believed they had received adequate upskilling.

Only a third of frontline employees globally said leadership communicated clearly about AI, while 28 per cent saw strong alignment between what leaders said and what their organisations actually did.

The adoption of AI agents is also accelerating. About 30 per cent of respondents globally said AI agents were already integrated into workflows, up from 13 per cent in 2025, while another 50 per cent said their workplaces had conducted agent experiments or pilots.

Around 61 per cent of respondents globally believed AI agents could perform at least half of their jobs within the next three years.

BCG’s 2026 AI at Work report is based on a global survey of 11,749 frontline employees, managers and leaders across 14 markets.

The consultancy said the findings showed that as AI adoption becomes increasingly widespread, the challenge for companies is shifting from giving employees access to AI tools towards redesigning workflows, improving training and establishing governance structures capable of managing the technology.

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has urged Taxable Persons to file their Tax Returns and pay Corporate Tax due within nine months of the end of their Tax Period, as the September 30 deadline approaches.

The FTA said all Taxable Persons, including those eligible for Small Business Relief, whose financial year ended on December 31, 2025, must file their Tax Returns and pay the Corporate Tax due no later than September 30, 2026.

The authority also said Exempt Persons are required to register to file their annual declarations with the FTA within nine months of the end of their financial year, a WAM report said.

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It urged all concerned to prepare early and ensure the necessary documents are ready to meet their tax obligations efficiently and within the statutory deadlines.

The FTA confirmed that registration, Tax Return filing and payment of Corporate Tax due are available around the clock through the EmaraTax digital tax services platform.

Taxable Persons can file their Tax Returns directly through the platform or seek assistance from approved Tax Agents listed on the FTA’s website.

Records must be maintained

Taxable Persons eligible for Small Business Relief must fulfil their compliance obligations under the Corporate Tax Law for each Tax Period.

These obligations include registering for Corporate Tax, filing simplified Tax Returns and maintaining all relevant documents supporting the accuracy of information provided in their Tax Returns or any other documents required to be submitted.

The FTA said the records and documents that must be maintained include records of the Taxable Person’s transactions during the Tax Period, an asset register detailing purchases and disposals of assets, records of liabilities, and details of shares or ownership interests held at the end of the Tax Period.

The FTA warned that failure to maintain the required records and any other information specified under the Tax Procedures Law and the Corporate Tax Law will result in administrative penalties in accordance with the relevant tax legislation.