Saudi Arabia AI development reached a major milestone on March 10, 2026, as the Cabinet approved designating 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence in the Kingdom. The decision reflects the country’s accelerating push to establish itself as a global center for data and artificial intelligence under Vision 2030.
SDAIA Leads the National AI Strategy
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), established by royal decree in 2019, leads the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence. The strategy rests on six pillars: ambition, competencies, policies, investment, innovation, and ecosystem. It has moved the Kingdom from strategic planning into active implementation, including regulating AI sectors and developing digital infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia AI Rankings and Global Standing
The Kingdom ranked 14th in the 2025 Global AI Index and holds the top position in the Arab world for AI model development, according to Stanford University’s AI Index. Moreover, Saudi Arabia ranked 3rd globally in the OECD AI Policy Observatory. The country also leads regional rankings in AI governance and human capital development.
Investment and Infrastructure Expansion
Government spending on emerging technologies rose by more than 56% in 2024 compared to 2023. Saudi AI companies secured $9.1 billion in funding through 70 investment deals in the same year. Furthermore, more than 664 companies currently operate in the data and AI sector, strengthening the private sector’s role in the national economy.
Infrastructure capacity expanded significantly, with data center capacity growing by 42.4% between 2023 and 2024. The Kingdom launched the Shaheen III supercomputer and inaugurated the Hexagon data center in early 2026. Hexagon is the world’s largest government data facility, with a capacity of 480 megawatts. In addition, nine cloud regions operate in the Kingdom, four of which are under construction by global cloud providers.
Human Capital and International Partnerships
Human capital development remains a stated priority for SDAIA. More than 11,000 specialists have received training, and the SAMAI national program has reached over one million participants. These efforts aim to close the knowledge gap and build a workforce capable of contributing to a data-driven knowledge economy.
Internationally, Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation to join the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI). The Kingdom also hosts the UNESCO-sponsored International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) in Riyadh. ICAIRE focuses on AI research and ethics, with the goal of generating positive impact for communities worldwide.
“Saudi Arabia has strengthened its presence in the AI sector through national initiatives and active participation in global partnerships and international bodies.”
Saudi Press Agency, March 10, 2026
National Data Lake and Future Outlook
The Kingdom has established a National Data Lake integrating more than 430 government systems. This infrastructure supports AI applications across public services and government operations. As 2026 is officially designated the Year of Artificial Intelligence, SDAIA is expected to accelerate programs across all six strategic pillars, with a continued focus on responsible and ethical AI use.