RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has secured the fifth position worldwide and the leading spot in the Arab region for growth in the artificial intelligence sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday, citing the Global AI Index data.
The report highlights Saudi Arabia’s significant progress in artificial intelligence, reflecting the success of its development plans and demonstrating strong international competitiveness under the Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
The Kingdom aims to become a leading technological hub by the end of the decade, further reducing its reliance on oil revenues.
In November, a KPMG survey also underscored Saudi Arabia’s progress in the technology sector, revealing that 84 percent of CEOs in the Kingdom are ready to deploy AI responsibly—well above the global benchmark of 76 percent.
This readiness is supported by the country’s robust data governance ecosystem, including initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
During the period measured by the Global AI Index, Saudi Arabia launched a wide range of national initiatives led by SDAIA. These initiatives strengthened Saudi Arabia’s position on the index.
During this period, SDAIA undertook several initiatives, notably the Rowad Package, which supports entrepreneurs and startups by enabling the authentication of customer data through electronic integration with the National Information Centre’s databases.
The authority also introduced the AI Ethics Incentive Badges initiative to promote awareness of ethical practices and encourage the responsible use of technology.
This programme provides a comprehensive framework to help organisations and developers align with global best practices.
According to SPA, more than 50 accreditation certificates have been awarded to national AI companies for developing AI-based products that serve priority sectors within the Kingdom.
These efforts also extended to the SDAIA Academy, which has focused on building national capabilities and empowering young talent through advanced training programs in data and AI, offered in partnership with international organizations, reported SPA.
It added that SDAIA Academy has trained over 1 million Saudis in data and AI skills through the SAMAI initiative, carried out in partnership with various government entities.
These accomplishments underscore SDAIA’s success in the field of data and artificial intelligence, both nationally and globally.
They reaffirm its position as the Kingdom’s central authority for regulation, development, and implementation, while advancing Saudi Arabia’s journey toward leadership in data- and AI-driven economies.
The first phase of the collaboration includes an estimated $3 billion investment to build a major data-centre campus in Saudi Arabia, according to a press statement.
