The Kingdom ranks second globally in two indicators related to cybersecurity and data protection, third in AI talent growth and the development of leading AI models, and first in the Arab world and the region for AI model development. A national study also reveals expanding infrastructure and growing AI adoption across government entities.

Riyadh | BETH

November 12, 2026

Saudi Arabia has achieved advanced global rankings in artificial intelligence, according to a new international assessment covering 70 countries, coinciding with the release of a national study highlighting expanding investments, infrastructure, AI model development, and human capabilities.

The 2026 Global Digital and AI Competitiveness Ranking, issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), placed the Kingdom second worldwide in corporate awareness of AI-related cybersecurity risks and the protection of sensitive data within AI systems.

Advanced Global Rankings

Saudi Arabia ranked fourth globally in implementing its national artificial intelligence strategy, corporate adoption of AI technologies, and public access to these technologies.

The Kingdom placed fifth worldwide in AI adoption, public trust in the technology, regulatory frameworks, and corporate investment. It ranked seventh in AI-related skills, the use of technology in cities, improvements in service quality, and efforts to address algorithmic bias.

Saudi Arabia also secured eighth place in AI readiness and ninth in private-sector investment.

SDAIA | Talent Growth and AI Model Development

The State of Artificial Intelligence in the Kingdom study, issued by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), showed that Saudi Arabia ranked third globally in AI talent growth, according to Stanford University's 2026 AI Index.

The Kingdom also ranked third globally and first in the Arab world and the region in the development of leading artificial intelligence models, according to the 2025 index.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia placed fifth worldwide and first among Arab countries in AI sector growth, according to The Observer's 2025 index.

Infrastructure | Rapid Expansion

The study revealed that Saudi Arabia's data center capacity increased by 115.8% between 2023 and 2025.

The Kingdom had nine cloud regions by mid-2026, including four under construction.

The Shaheen III supercomputer also ranked first among Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the TOP500 list of the world's most powerful supercomputers.

In data management, Saudi Arabia integrated information from more than 515 government systems into its National Data Lake, with hosted data volumes exceeding 5.87 petabytes.

Talent and Applications

The study found that 97% of government entities either use or develop artificial intelligence tools, while 90% have an AI strategy and a framework for measuring the impact of their projects.

More than 1.2 million people had benefited from the SAMAI initiative by July 2026.

In research and development, the Kingdom recorded an average annual growth rate of 37.4% in specialized scientific publications between 2021 and 2025.

Saudi Arabia also developed eight large language models and 58 local applications, according to the figures presented in the study.

BETH Analysis | From Importing Technology to Developing It

The findings reveal Saudi Arabia's progress across three interconnected areas: developing national capabilities, expanding the adoption of artificial intelligence, and building infrastructure capable of supporting growing investments.

The significance of this progress lies in the transition from merely using foreign technological solutions to developing domestic AI models, particularly for the Arabic language.

This shift creates economic opportunities in software development, computing, and intelligent services.

However, advanced rankings in readiness and adoption do not automatically mean leadership across every area of artificial intelligence.

The next challenge will be transforming investments and research into exportable products, globally competitive companies, high-quality jobs, and greater productivity.

Ultimately, Saudi Arabia is no longer focused solely on expanding the use of artificial intelligence. It is building the foundations needed to participate in developing the technology itself. The success of this next phase will be measured by the value AI delivers to the economy and society, rather than by international rankings alone.

Prepared and Analyzed by | Strategic Media Management – BETH News Agency