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SDAIA Report: Saudi Arabia Pioneers Global AI Innovation

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming a global AI leader, fueled by its ambitious Vision 2030, according to a September 2024 report from the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA).

The “State of AI in Saudi Arabia” report offers an in-depth view of the nation’s advancements in artificial intelligence, focusing on seven key pillars: policies and regulations, investment, infrastructure, data, talent and human capabilities, research and innovation, and adoption.

SDAIA, NTP Launch Saudi's First Open Data Programs | Leaders

The report underscores Saudi Arabia’s global leadership in AI, highlighted by its top ranking in the government strategy pillar of the 2023 Global AI Index by Tortoise.

SDAIA’s Elevate AI training program also earned a certificate of excellence in the capabilities development category from the ITU WSIS Forum 2024.

ITU WSIS 2024

The Kingdom’s accomplishments continue to grow, with the National Data Bank and the Estishraf platform receiving the ITU WSIS 2024 award in the category highlighting government and stakeholder roles in advancing ICTs for development. In 2023, the Kingdom also joined the UN AI Advisory Body, aiming to promote a more ethical, responsible, and well-governed use of AI.

According to the Stanford AI Index 2023, the Kingdom ranked second worldwide for positivity and optimism toward AI products and services. To support a strong regulatory framework, SDAIA introduced 14 data and AI-related regulations and policies in 2024, and by the same year, had set up 245 data management offices across the public sector.

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Government spending on emerging technologies, including AI, grew at a compound annual growth rate of 59% between 2019 and 2023, as per the Digital Government Authority’s 2023 report.
Crunchbase data indicates that the total attracted funds in Saudi AI companies reached $1.7 billion in 2023.
In terms of AI infrastructure, the Kingdom ranked second in the Middle East in terms of the number of colocation data centers, with 22 active ones and 40 under development, in 2023.
The Kingdom boasts 10 supercomputers in 2024, eight of which are among the world’s top 500.
The public cloud services market in the Kingdom experienced a 30% growth in 2023 compared to 2022, according to IDC reports.

SDAIA’s Open Data Platform

In 2024, SDAIA successfully integrated 320 government systems into the National Data Lake, accumulating more than 100TB of data from over 60 government entities. Additionally, SDAIA’s Open Data Platform hosted over 8,700 datasets contributed by more than 230 government and private organizations.

Open Data Strategy

 

The report highlighted the Kingdom’s dedication to enhancing global competitiveness through the empowerment of talent, development of human capabilities, and advancement of AI knowledge. Public awareness of AI has grown substantially, with 75% of the population familiar with the concept and 64% aware of its various applications, as revealed by SDAIA’s 2024 survey. In the education sector, 86% of Saudi universities now offer bachelor’s programs related to AI, with 42% providing specialized AI courses, according to 2023 data from the Ministry of Education. Between 2019 and 2023, more than 38,000 graduates obtained degrees in AI-related fields, such as computer science.

OECD

 

LinkedIn data shows a 51% annual increase in AI-skilled professionals in the Kingdom from 2018 to 2022. Additionally, OECD data highlights the Kingdom’s strong dedication to scientific research and AI innovation, with a 45% annual growth rate in AI-related scientific publications between 2019 and 2023.

Indonesia Resmi Bergabung di Komite Persaingan OECD - FDPU Website

 

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property reported a 50% annual increase in AI-related patents over the same period. According to the 2024 SDAIA Readiness and Adoption Survey, 39% of government entities are currently using or testing AI technologies. Additionally, 81% of these entities reported improvements in service delivery due to AI adoption.

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