Gulf states are ramping operational resilience as cyberattacks rise and attackers increasingly deploy AI, according to a report focused on the region’s threat environment. It cites UAE figures showing daily cyberattack attempts surging from roughly 200,000 to as many as 700,000 amid heightened geopolitical tensions. While attacks were reportedly thwarted in the UAE financial sector, the region’s Cyber Security Council flagged AI adoption by cybercriminals to develop more advanced techniques. Help AG’s report (published in 2025) also described AI as a “force multiplier,” shortening attack lifecycles and enabling damage within hours after initial access. The analysis ties the shift to continuous, adaptive security models—rather than reactive approaches—given the region’s accelerating digital transformation and exposure in automated, interconnected ecosystems. It also points to higher breach costs in Middle East markets and rising information security spending forecasts for MENA.