The rise of the tech kingdom

September 9, 2025

Sibtain Naqvi
by Sibtain Naqvi

Head Of Technology

Saudi Arabia has rapidly emerged as a global leader in data and artificial intelligence within just six years. This transformation is a direct result of the Kingdom’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to technological sovereignty, which is a core pillar of its national Vision 2030 strategy. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), established in 2019, is the central entity tasked with this ambitious mission. The SDAIA’s strategic roadmap focuses on leveraging AI and data to drive economic growth, enhance government services, and build a technologically capable workforce. The Kingdom’s approach is holistic, covering everything from policy and ethical governance to global collaboration and massive infrastructure investment.

Key Facts

  • The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) was founded in 2019 to lead the national AI strategy.
  • The SDAIA has received over 70 national and international awards for its initiatives.
  • The Kingdom has attracted over $9 billion in investments in future technologies, including:
  • Microsoft: $2.1 billion for global super-scaler cloud infrastructure.
  • Oracle: $1.5 billion for a new cloud region in Riyadh.
  • Huawei: $400 million for cloud infrastructure in partnership with Aramco.
  • Tonomus (a subsidiary of the NEOM project): $1 billion invested in 2022 for an AI and metaverse platform.
  • Additional: $4.5 billion in global and local assets across various sectors.
  • A new AI company, Humain, launched in May and is building data centers to host its own Large Language Models (LLMs), including the Allam model that powers the Humain Chat app.
  • The Estishraf platform has generated over SR51 billion ($13.5 billion) in savings for government agencies, and the Ehsan platform has facilitated over SR12 billion in charitable donations.
  • Human Capital Development: The “One Million Saudis in AI” (SAMAI) initiative aims to train one million Saudis in AI skills.

FOSTERING A ROBUST DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM

Saudi Arabia’s progress in artificial intelligence is built on a foundation of advanced digital infrastructure. The country has rapidly scaled its 5G networks, ranking in the global top 10 for mobile internet speed, which provides the high-speed connectivity necessary for data-intensive AI applications. This investment is part of a deliberate strategy to attract global technology partners. The Kingdom has attracted more than $9 billion in investments from tech giants like Microsoft, Oracle, and Huawei. These investments will establish new cloud regions and data centers, providing the essential computing power and data storage required to train complex AI models and support large-scale digital services, positioning Saudi Arabia as a central force in the regional digital economy.

As cited by a source, “Saudi Arabia has attracted more than $9 billion in investments in future technologies, including by U.S. giants Microsoft and Oracle Corp, which are building cloud regions in the kingdom.”

CULTIVATING A SKILLED AI WORKFORCE

The Kingdom’s strategy recognizes that technological advancement depends on human capabilities. The “One Million Saudis in AI” (SAMAI) initiative is an ambitious program designed to equip a new generation with the necessary skills for a technology-driven future.
As part of this effort, a national curriculum for over 6 million students has been integrated, ensuring that AI education begins at an early age. This focus on human capital goes beyond simple training; it aims to create a sustainable pipeline of local talent. By empowering its citizens, Saudi Arabia is building a workforce that can innovate and lead in the AI sector, reducing dependency on foreign expertise and fostering long-term self-reliance.

PIONEERING HOMEGROWN AI TECHNOLOGY

To ensure technological sovereignty, Saudi Arabia is actively developing its own AI models tailored to its culture and language. This effort is spearheaded by Humain, a new AI company backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). In a significant move, Humain launched the Allam LLM, which powers the Humain Chat application. This is the Kingdom’s first homegrown Arabic LLM and is designed to understand the nuances of various Arabic dialects and reflect the region’s cultural identity. By developing a sovereign model, Saudi Arabia ensures that its AI solutions are not only technically advanced but also ethically and culturally aligned with its values, distinguishing its approach from reliance on foreign-developed models.

As Tareq Amin, the CEO of Humain, announced on social media:

“HUMAIN has launched Allam, the first Arabic large language model developed and trained in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Humain Chat will be the first application to use Allam and will be available for public in a few days. The future of Arabic AI is here.”

DRIVING ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION

The push for AI is a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s strategic vision to diversify its economy away from oil. The integration of AI technologies is already yielding significant economic benefits. For example, the Estishraf platform, which leverages AI to enhance government operations, has resulted in over SR51 billion in savings for government agencies. Similarly, the Ehsan platform has used AI to facilitate more than SR12 billion in charitable donations. These projects demonstrate how AI is being used as a pragmatic tool to enhance public services, improve efficiency, and create new economic value, which directly supports the goals of Vision 2030.

THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

Over the next five years, Saudi Arabia is poised to solidify its position as a global leader in AI, transitioning from a strategic adopter to a major producer of cutting-edge technology. With its first AI data centers from Humain expected to be operational by early 2026 and continued large-scale investments in infrastructure, the Kingdom will become a regional hub for cloud computing and AI services. The ongoing commitment to the SAMAI initiative will create a highly skilled workforce, while the success of homegrown models like Humain Chat will establish Saudi Arabia as a key player in the development of culturally adaptive AI.

Head Of Technology

Sibtain Naqvi

Sibtain Naqvi is a Business Intelligence & Analytics Consultant with over two decades of experience in mastering data and transforming it into strategic insights for businesses across the globe.

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