The Annual SDG Review 2026, the fifth in the series, analyses national and regional policies governing artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of social inclusion. It examines the extent to which these recently developed policies are setting ethical guardrails and actively steering the deployment of AI systems to promote equal access to services, participation and opportunities for all individuals, particularly vulnerable groups. To assess whether these policies provide an enabling environment for socially inclusive AI, the document presents a case study of ministries of social affairs in Arab countries, based on a survey examining their current and planned AI uses, risk mitigation measures, institutional readiness and collaborations. The review identifies areas for action and further consideration to address policy gaps.