Saudi Arabia Establishes Itself as a Rising Global Power in Artificial Intelligence
Strategic investments, national policy and major partnerships underpin the Kingdom’s rapid ascent in the global AI landscape
Saudi Arabia has made significant strides this year toward becoming a global artificial intelligence power, cementing its role as a leading force in the rapidly evolving AI economy.
The Kingdom’s comprehensive strategy, aligned with the broader Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, is anchored by ambitious investments, national policy frameworks and targeted partnerships that span research, infrastructure and talent development.
At the LEAP 2025 technology conference in Riyadh, Saudi authorities announced more than $14.9 billion in AI-related investments, including a $1.5 billion collaboration between U.S.-based Groq and Aramco Digital to build a major AI inferencing data centre that will enhance the nation’s computational capacity and attract international tech players.
These projects aim not only to advance digital transformation at home but also to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and computing power.
Central to the Kingdom’s AI ambitions is the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is driving a national strategy to expand AI expertise, research and adoption across sectors; data show Saudi Arabia has risen in global AI growth rankings, placing among the top five worldwide and leading the Arab region in AI expansion.
The launch of state-backed AI company Humain under the Public Investment Fund further reinforces this trajectory, with a focus on developing advanced AI infrastructure, multimodal Arabic language models and partnerships with major technology firms to support broad adoption.
Local startups such as Newera.ai and Mozn are also contributing to a dynamic ecosystem, attracting funding and developing generative and enterprise AI solutions tailored for regional markets.
Reports from global consultancies underline that the Kingdom is among the top emerging economies in AI readiness, with sustained investment targets, talent growth and policy frameworks that seek to attract foreign direct investment while building domestic capabilities.
Saudi Arabia’s multi-pronged approach — combining large-scale funding, strategic foreign partnerships, open data initiatives and a rapidly expanding tech workforce — reflects an integrated vision to move beyond oil dependency and embed AI at the core of its future economy.
These developments have not only accelerated digital adoption domestically but have also elevated the Kingdom’s position in the global AI dialogue, signalling a new era in which Saudi Arabia seeks to influence international standards, innovation and collaborative research in artificial intelligence.
The Kingdom’s comprehensive strategy, aligned with the broader Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, is anchored by ambitious investments, national policy frameworks and targeted partnerships that span research, infrastructure and talent development.
At the LEAP 2025 technology conference in Riyadh, Saudi authorities announced more than $14.9 billion in AI-related investments, including a $1.5 billion collaboration between U.S.-based Groq and Aramco Digital to build a major AI inferencing data centre that will enhance the nation’s computational capacity and attract international tech players.
These projects aim not only to advance digital transformation at home but also to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and computing power.
Central to the Kingdom’s AI ambitions is the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is driving a national strategy to expand AI expertise, research and adoption across sectors; data show Saudi Arabia has risen in global AI growth rankings, placing among the top five worldwide and leading the Arab region in AI expansion.
The launch of state-backed AI company Humain under the Public Investment Fund further reinforces this trajectory, with a focus on developing advanced AI infrastructure, multimodal Arabic language models and partnerships with major technology firms to support broad adoption.
Local startups such as Newera.ai and Mozn are also contributing to a dynamic ecosystem, attracting funding and developing generative and enterprise AI solutions tailored for regional markets.
Reports from global consultancies underline that the Kingdom is among the top emerging economies in AI readiness, with sustained investment targets, talent growth and policy frameworks that seek to attract foreign direct investment while building domestic capabilities.
Saudi Arabia’s multi-pronged approach — combining large-scale funding, strategic foreign partnerships, open data initiatives and a rapidly expanding tech workforce — reflects an integrated vision to move beyond oil dependency and embed AI at the core of its future economy.
These developments have not only accelerated digital adoption domestically but have also elevated the Kingdom’s position in the global AI dialogue, signalling a new era in which Saudi Arabia seeks to influence international standards, innovation and collaborative research in artificial intelligence.
