Abu dhabi: A new study from Siemens reveals the Middle East is ready to enter a new era of infrastructure transition that is autonomous, resilient, and sustainable.
According to Emirates News Agency, the 2026 Middle East Infrastructure Transition Monitor indicates that the region is outpacing global counterparts in its commitment to the transition, with regional leaders demonstrating stronger investment intentions and a heightened sense of urgency around clean energy transformation.
Siemens' comprehensive study, titled Powering Transformation: How a new generation of infrastructure assets is reshaping the Middle East, based on a survey of 400 senior executives and in-depth interviews with leaders and experts in the region, reveals a region aligned for impact, with 66 percent of executives stating that the global energy transition needs to accelerate significantly, compared with 57 percent globally.
Hakan Ozdemir, CEO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure in the Middle East and Siemens Qatar, stated that the 2026 Middle East Infrastructure Transition Monitor highlights a significant shift across the Middle East, as infrastructure evolves into a strategic driver of competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable growth. He emphasized the importance of connecting data, intelligence, and physical infrastructure at scale as energy systems grow more complex and demand continues to rise.
The report highlights that industrial AI is accelerating operational transformation, unlocking unprecedented efficiency, productivity, and sustainability across national systems. A total of 62 percent of executives expect AI to reshape infrastructure operations within just three years.
Readiness to embrace automation is also notable, with 56 percent of organizations prepared to implement autonomous systems in buildings, and 57 percent planning significant investments in this area over the coming year. The demand for smarter technologies is prevalent, with 69 percent of respondents indicating that their organizations require more sophisticated solutions to enable rapid data integration, a necessity for overcoming institutional barriers and legacy system challenges.
The evolving regional landscape has created a need for infrastructure systems that can anticipate failures, isolate issues, and learn from every disruption. Already, 61 percent of organizations confirm that industrial AI is making their critical infrastructure more resilient, underscoring the technology's immediate practical applications.
Grid modernization remains central to both clean energy transition and overall resilience, with 64 percent identifying smart grids and grid software as crucial enablers and 66 percent supporting the integration of various parts of the energy system, such as electricity, gas, hydrogen, and transportation, into a single, coordinated platform.
The report noted that the region is proactively investing in cross-border interconnections and regional power-trading arrangements, essential steps toward ensuring a reliable, resilient electricity supply and strengthening response capabilities during outages or extreme weather events.
Decarbonizing core operations has emerged as the leading priority for the region's organizations, with 70 percent already setting targets for direct and indirect emissions, compared with 58 percent globally. Digitalization is recognized as the critical driver for this transformation, with 68 percent considering digitalization an essential enabler.
Collaboration is emerging as a cornerstone of the region's transition, with 65 percent confirming that businesses and governments are working closely on energy-system policy, surpassing the global average of 59 percent.