Saudi Arabia Leads in Digital Public Services and AI Adoption
According to a new report, Saudi Arabia has expanded 5G access across the Kingdom and is a leader in digital public services and artificial-intelligence adoption.
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded its 5G network coverage throughout the Kingdom, making it a pioneer in providing digital public services and adopting artificial intelligence technologies.
This information was revealed in the Digital Cooperation Organization’s (DCO) latest report, known as the Digital Economy Navigator 2025 (DEN 2025), which was unveiled at an event in Qatar on Tuesday.The DCO's secretary-general, Deemah Al-Yahya, emphasized that the DEN 2025 serves as a reminder of how global progress relies on decisive action.
She called for accelerating digital transformation by urging governments to adopt forward-thinking policies and invest responsibly in businesses while encouraging societies to embrace innovation as a tool for inclusion.The report was launched at an event attended by Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia's minister of communications and information technology.
He noted that the DEN 2025 marks another significant milestone in supporting policymakers in formulating strategies aimed at enhancing digital infrastructure, fostering innovation ecosystems, and improving governance frameworks to facilitate sustainable economic growth.DEN 2025 is a comprehensive tool that provides insights into the global digital economy by examining 145 indicators across 80 countries.
These countries represent approximately 94% of the world's gross domestic product and encompass 85% of its population.
The report also included survey responses from over 41,000 people, aiming to analyze how various nations are developing their digital infrastructure, promoting innovation, strengthening business capacity, enhancing governance, and promoting social inclusion.According to the report, Saudi Arabia has achieved frontier-level maturity in areas such as health and education, social inclusion, and employment.
The country's advancements in digital healthcare, including the operation of one of the largest virtual hospital networks globally with more than 224 hospitals connected, were highlighted.
Additionally, the expansion of AI-enabled platforms like Sehhaty and Wasfaty has contributed to these achievements.Internet access now reaches over four out of five people across the countries studied, indicating that digitalization is creating opportunities for growth among all income levels.
Lower-middle-income countries have made notable progress, with 66 countries having fully implemented online service portals, while another 10 countries are in the process of implementing them.The report highlights that cross-border trade has been facilitated by digital transformation, with online service portals being utilized by 66 out of the 80 covered countries and implementation underway in 10 additional nations.
The DCO envisions a future where every nation actively participates in the digital economy as both consumers and creators of digital services.Unlocking significant social and economic potential is estimated to be achievable by connecting underserved communities, which could enable more than 1.3 billion individuals to access digital banking and online services.
However, additional efforts are necessary to ease restrictions on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods' trade to ensure affordable access to digital devices.Although digital advancement is progressing rapidly but unevenly, with advanced economies strengthening their lead while regions such as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa show significant potential for growth, the DCO underscored the importance of investing in digital skills and education, particularly for women.
Currently, only 3.1% of female graduates enter information and communication technology (ICT) fields.Alaa Abdulaal, Digital Economy Intelligence chief at the DCO, stated that DEN 2025 represents a significant improvement over its previous edition released in 2024.
The rapidly evolving digital economy necessitates continuously updated tools for measuring its impacts to guide policymakers, businesses, and international organizations effectively.
This information was revealed in the Digital Cooperation Organization’s (DCO) latest report, known as the Digital Economy Navigator 2025 (DEN 2025), which was unveiled at an event in Qatar on Tuesday.The DCO's secretary-general, Deemah Al-Yahya, emphasized that the DEN 2025 serves as a reminder of how global progress relies on decisive action.
She called for accelerating digital transformation by urging governments to adopt forward-thinking policies and invest responsibly in businesses while encouraging societies to embrace innovation as a tool for inclusion.The report was launched at an event attended by Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia's minister of communications and information technology.
He noted that the DEN 2025 marks another significant milestone in supporting policymakers in formulating strategies aimed at enhancing digital infrastructure, fostering innovation ecosystems, and improving governance frameworks to facilitate sustainable economic growth.DEN 2025 is a comprehensive tool that provides insights into the global digital economy by examining 145 indicators across 80 countries.
These countries represent approximately 94% of the world's gross domestic product and encompass 85% of its population.
The report also included survey responses from over 41,000 people, aiming to analyze how various nations are developing their digital infrastructure, promoting innovation, strengthening business capacity, enhancing governance, and promoting social inclusion.According to the report, Saudi Arabia has achieved frontier-level maturity in areas such as health and education, social inclusion, and employment.
The country's advancements in digital healthcare, including the operation of one of the largest virtual hospital networks globally with more than 224 hospitals connected, were highlighted.
Additionally, the expansion of AI-enabled platforms like Sehhaty and Wasfaty has contributed to these achievements.Internet access now reaches over four out of five people across the countries studied, indicating that digitalization is creating opportunities for growth among all income levels.
Lower-middle-income countries have made notable progress, with 66 countries having fully implemented online service portals, while another 10 countries are in the process of implementing them.The report highlights that cross-border trade has been facilitated by digital transformation, with online service portals being utilized by 66 out of the 80 covered countries and implementation underway in 10 additional nations.
The DCO envisions a future where every nation actively participates in the digital economy as both consumers and creators of digital services.Unlocking significant social and economic potential is estimated to be achievable by connecting underserved communities, which could enable more than 1.3 billion individuals to access digital banking and online services.
However, additional efforts are necessary to ease restrictions on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods' trade to ensure affordable access to digital devices.Although digital advancement is progressing rapidly but unevenly, with advanced economies strengthening their lead while regions such as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa show significant potential for growth, the DCO underscored the importance of investing in digital skills and education, particularly for women.
Currently, only 3.1% of female graduates enter information and communication technology (ICT) fields.Alaa Abdulaal, Digital Economy Intelligence chief at the DCO, stated that DEN 2025 represents a significant improvement over its previous edition released in 2024.
The rapidly evolving digital economy necessitates continuously updated tools for measuring its impacts to guide policymakers, businesses, and international organizations effectively.
