OVI is an AI-native applicant tracking system (ATS) at ovi-me.com. You chat with AI agents Sora and Milo to source candidates, screen CVs, and run AI voice interviews in one workflow.

How do I sign in to OVI?

Sign in to OVI at https://ovi-me.com/auth with your work email or Google account. New teams can start a free trial from the homepage.

OVI AI refers to OVI's hiring agents — Milo for CV screening and Sora for sourcing — built into the AI-native ATS so recruiting teams chat to hire instead of clicking through traditional ATS screens.

OVI is the AI-native ATS where you chat to hire. Two AI agents — Sora for sourcing and Milo for screening — find candidates, score every CV, and run AI interviews, all controlled from a single chat.

What does "chat to hire" mean?

Chat to hire is OVI's AI-native hiring workflow: instead of clicking through a traditional ATS, you describe what you need in chat and OVI's AI agents source candidates, screen applicants, run AI interviews, and send outreach for you.

What is an AI-native ATS?

An AI-native ATS is an applicant tracking system built around AI agents rather than forms and pipelines. OVI's AI chat ATS lets recruiters source, screen, interview, and follow up through conversation — the agents do the work and surface only the candidates worth meeting.

Who are Sora and Milo?

Sora is OVI's AI sourcing agent — she scans LinkedIn, the open web, and your ATS history to find best-fit candidates and reach out in your name. Milo is OVI's AI screening agent — he scores every applicant against your rubric and surfaces a ranked shortlist.

How do OVI's AI interviews work?

OVI runs async AI interviews for every shortlisted candidate and returns scores, transcripts, and recordings — so your team only meets the people worth meeting.

The GCC's AI Hiring Acceleration: UAE Leads the World with 48% AI Job Growth

By Chris Weinmann, Founder, OVI

Published 2026-10-14

No country expanded its AI workforce faster than the UAE in 2024–2025. A 48 percent year-over-year surge in AI-related hiring placed the Emirates at the top of every global market for AI job creation (Gulf News, Jan 2026).

That number alone would make headlines. But the UAE is not an outlier — it is the leading edge of a Gulf-wide acceleration. AI-related skills now appear in 3.4 percent of all professional vacancies across the Gulf Cooperation Council, nearly triple the 1.2 percent recorded in 2022 (GulfTalent, H1 2026). Saudi Arabia posted 26 percent AI hiring growth in the same period (Gulf News, Jan 2026), backed by $9 billion in venture and public funding under its "Year of AI" mandate (WeCloudData, Sep 2026).

This is a demand-side story. Gulf employers — government ministries, banks, energy companies, healthcare operators — are creating AI roles at a pace that is rewriting how recruitment works in the region.

UAE: The Epicentre of Gulf AI Demand

The breadth of UAE hiring growth is as striking as its speed. Demand for data scientists climbed 43 percent year-over-year. AI product managers — roles that barely existed in Gulf job markets five years ago — rose 37 percent. AI engineer postings grew 31 percent (Gulf News, Jan 2026).

This is not confined to technology firms. Gulf recruitment firm Nadia Global reported a 65 percent increase in new clients seeking AI talent year-over-year, with a 25 percent rise from existing clients expanding their AI mandates (Gulf News, Jan 2026). When recruitment firms see that kind of client-acquisition growth, it signals that AI hiring has moved from a niche priority to a mainstream operational imperative.

Government policy is both a driver and a structural floor under demand. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) completed 13 million AI-assisted labour market transactions in 2026 (Gulf News, Jan 2026), and the UAE has set a target of 100 percent reliance on AI in government services by 2031 (Gulf News, Jan 2026). That target locks in sustained demand: every government department, contractor, and technology vendor in the pipeline needs AI-capable staff to meet it.

Saudi Arabia: The $9 Billion Accelerant

Saudi Arabia's 26 percent year-over-year AI hiring growth trails the UAE's pace but carries enormous scale. The Kingdom designated 2026 its "Year of AI," directing $9 billion in venture capital and public funding toward AI enterprises (WeCloudData, Sep 2026). The SAMAI initiative aims to upskill one million Saudis in AI capabilities (WeCloudData, Sep 2026) — a programme that, if it reaches even a fraction of its target, will reshape the Kingdom's talent pipeline for a generation.

Where the UAE's growth is market-driven and concentrated in a diversified services economy, Saudi Arabia's acceleration is state-orchestrated and deeply tied to Vision 2030. The two approaches are complementary: UAE demand pulls global AI talent into the Gulf, while Saudi investment builds domestic capacity at scale.

Across the GCC: AI Moves Beyond the Tech Team

The GCC-wide data tells a story of AI going mainstream. AI-related skills referenced in 3.4 percent of all professional vacancies — up from 1.2 percent in 2022 — represents a near-tripling in four years (GulfTalent, H1 2026). More significantly, AI roles are no longer confined to technical functions. They increasingly appear in senior leadership vacancies and non-technical departments (GulfTalent, H1 2026), indicating that Gulf organisations are embedding AI capability across operations rather than isolating it in IT.

Compensation data reinforces the demand signal. Mid-senior professionals in technology, energy, healthcare, and financial services across the GCC now command packages 15 to 25 percent higher than 2023 benchmarks (Business Umbrella, Feb 2026). Employers are paying premiums because they are competing for experienced professionals in a market where role creation is outpacing the available talent pool.

What This Means for HR Leaders

For talent acquisition and HR leaders operating in the Gulf, four priorities emerge from the data:

Scale AI screening capacity now. When AI vacancy share nearly triples in four years, traditional screening workflows struggle to keep pace. Volume is the operational challenge — hiring teams need systems that can evaluate AI-skilled candidates at the speed roles are being created.
Recruit across functions, not just technical teams. AI roles increasingly sit in operations, finance, and senior leadership. Hiring strategies that treat AI as an IT-only competency will miss the bulk of demand.
Watch Saudi Arabia's pipeline. The SAMAI initiative and $9 billion in investment will produce a wave of early-career AI talent. Organisations that build relationships with Saudi training programmes and universities now will get first access.
Benchmark compensation quarterly. With 15–25 percent salary growth for mid-senior AI roles, annual compensation reviews are too slow. Competitive offers require real-time market data across the GCC.

Among the AI-native ATS platforms designed for GCC hiring workflows, OVI combines an AI sourcing agent (Sora) and an AI screening agent (Milo) to address the precise mismatch the data reveals — accelerating AI talent identification in a market where AI-skilled roles are multiplying faster than traditional screening can handle. With plans starting at $29/month, OVI aligns with the compliance posture Gulf employers need: human-in-the-loop decision support, no biometric analysis, and readiness for UAE AI governance and EU AI Act requirements.

Which country has the fastest AI hiring growth in 2024–2025?

The UAE leads globally with 48 percent year-over-year growth in AI-related hiring between 2024 and 2025. The fastest-growing roles include data scientists (+43%), AI product managers (+37%), and AI engineers (+31%), according to Gulf News data sourced from regional recruitment market reports.

How much has the share of AI-related vacancies grown in the GCC?

AI-related skills appeared in 3.4 percent of GCC professional vacancies in H1 2026, up from 1.2 percent in 2022 — nearly tripling in four years, according to GulfTalent data. AI roles are increasingly appearing in non-technical functions and senior leadership vacancies, not just technology departments.

How much is Saudi Arabia investing in AI in 2026?

Saudi Arabia designated 2026 its 'Year of AI' and has directed $9 billion in venture capital and public funding toward AI enterprises. The SAMAI initiative also aims to upskill one million Saudis in AI capabilities, positioning the Kingdom to build domestic AI talent capacity at scale.

What AI roles are growing fastest in the UAE?

Data scientists (+43%), AI product managers (+37%), and AI engineers (+31%) posted the highest year-over-year growth rates in the UAE between 2024 and 2025. Gulf recruitment firm Nadia Global reported a 65 percent increase in new clients seeking AI talent year-over-year.

Are AI roles in the GCC limited to tech companies?

No. AI roles now span non-technical functions and increasingly appear in senior leadership vacancies across the GCC, according to GulfTalent data. Gulf organisations are embedding AI capability across operations, finance, and management — not isolating it in IT departments. Mid-senior AI professionals across sectors command compensation 15–25 percent above 2023 benchmarks.