According to the Global AI Index’s latest data, Saudi Arabia possesses the fifth rank globally, apart from being the numero uno in the Gulf region, when it comes to witnessing growth in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector. This development also underscores the success of the Kingdom’s technology-related development plans and its ability to achieve high international competitiveness under its economic diversification strategy titled “Vision 2030.”
The Kingdom aims to position itself as a technological hub by the end of this decade as it continues its economic diversification efforts, reducing its reliance on crude oil revenues. While the Global AI Index shows that the Gulf major is very much on the track to become a regional tech powerhouse, another KPMG survey, released in November 2025, also reiterated the same.
As per that study, some 84% of Saudi-based CEOs were ready to deploy AI responsibly, well above the global benchmark of 76%, supported by the country’s data governance ecosystem, including national 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,” reported SPA (Saudi Press Agency) recently.
SDAIA has launched initiatives like the “Rowad Package,” which empowers entrepreneurs and startups in the Kingdom to authenticate customer data through electronic linkage to the National Information Centre’s databases. The authority also rolled out the “AI Ethics Incentive Badges” initiative to raise awareness of ethical practices, apart from promoting the responsible use of technologies. This initiative offers a comprehensive framework to help organisations and developers align with global best practices.
As per the SPA, “over 50 accreditation certificates have been granted to national AI companies for developing AI-based products serving priority sectors in the Kingdom. The Gaia generative AI accelerator, backed by SDAIA and the National Technology Development Programme with New Native as a partner, is also accelerating startup development, enabling new companies to launch and scale more effectively. These efforts also extended to the SDAIA Academy, which has focused on building national capabilities and empowering young talent through advanced training programmes in data and AI, offered in partnership with international organisations.”
The SDAIA Academy has already trained over one million Saudis in data and AI skills through the SAMAI initiative, carried out in partnership with various government entities. This initiative is considered one of the world’s largest, targeting the general population.
“These achievements highlight SDAIA’s success in the field of data and AI, both nationally and internationally. They reinforce its role as the Kingdom’s central authority for regulation, development, and application, and advance the nation toward leadership in data- and AI-driven economies,” SPA noted.
In October 2025, Humain, an AI company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), partnered with AirTrunk, which is backed by BlackRock and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, to develop hyperscale data centres in the Kingdom. The first phase of the collaboration includes an estimated USD 3 billion investment to build a major data centre campus in the country.