SDAIA King Saud University partnership has officially launched the Data and Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (DAICE) at the College of Computer and Information Sciences. The announcement was made during the International Conference on Capacity Building in Data and Artificial Intelligence (ICAN 2026) in Riyadh on January 29, 2026.
The Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA) and King Saud University established this center as part of a national vision aimed at preparing specialized national cadres in the fields of data and artificial intelligence, while building an integrated ecosystem to support innovation and capacity development.
Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry
The center aims to bridge the gap between academic outputs and labor market needs through specialized training programs. It will develop practical academic outputs linked to market requirements, support software development using artificial intelligence technologies, and adopt AI methodologies in software engineering and manufacturing.
SDAIA King Saud University Center Objectives
The Data and AI Excellence Center will focus on developing national use cases that contribute to raising productivity and supporting digital transformation across various sectors. This initiative reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to becoming a regional and international leader in data science and artificial intelligence applications.
- Specialized training programs aligned with market demands
- Software development using AI technologies
- National use case development for digital transformation
- Building specialized human capabilities in data and AI
Supporting National Innovation Ecosystem
The establishment of the center comes within the framework of SDAIA’s efforts to support the national innovation ecosystem and enhance the building of specialized human capabilities in data and artificial intelligence. This contributes to consolidating the Kingdom’s position and leadership in this field at both regional and international levels.
Future Outlook for AI Education
The DAICE center represents a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives for technological advancement and knowledge economy development. By combining academic excellence with practical industry applications, the center is expected to produce graduates who are immediately ready to contribute to the Kingdom’s digital transformation initiatives and AI-driven economic diversification.
