Saudi Arabia Leads As AI Powerhouse Under Vision 2030 With 2026 Year Of Artificial Intelligence Initiative

Saudi Arabia plans to mark 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, reinforcing Vision 2030 goals to build a global AI hub. This move follows direction from His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

The Kingdom records strong progress in artificial intelligence indicators. Saudi Arabia ranked 14th in the 2025 Global AI Index and leads the Arab region in AI model development. Investment is also rising, with public spending on emerging technologies increasing by more than 56% in 2024 and AI firms attracting $9.1 billion.

Since its creation in 2019, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has managed the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence. The strategy is built on six pillars: ambition, competencies, policies, investment, innovation, and ecosystem, and has shifted national efforts from long-term planning towards execution on the ground.

This implementation phase covers several areas, including regulation of artificial intelligence activities and development of digital foundations. Infrastructure projects include the Shaheen III supercomputer and the Hexagon data centre, described as the world’s largest government data facility, with an energy capacity of 480 megawatts and advanced capabilities for handling government information.

Data infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence also expanded through a National Data Lake, which connects information from more than 430 government systems. This integrated platform is designed to improve data availability, strengthen analytics, and support AI solutions that can serve national priorities across different sectors, from public services to economic planning and security.

Human capital development forms a central part of the Saudi Arabia artificial intelligence agenda. More than 11,000 specialists have received training in data and AI disciplines. The SAMAI programme reached over one million participants, indicating wide public engagement and building skills that can support future employment in related fields.

Saudi Arabia also increases its international presence in artificial intelligence. The Kingdom became the first Arab member of the Global Partnership on AI. Riyadh now hosts the UNESCO-sponsored International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics, known as ICAIRE, which focuses on responsible, ethical approaches to AI technologies worldwide.

These artificial intelligence initiatives support Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification aims and strengthen its digital capabilities. Combined efforts in strategy, regulation, infrastructure, talent and global cooperation highlight a long-term commitment to using AI responsibly, enhancing national development plans and contributing to solutions that can benefit societies within the Kingdom and internationally.

With inputs from SPA