Saudi Arabia Sets out Strategy to Become a World Leader in Artificial Intelligence By 2030

Saudi Arabia revealed its National Strategy for Data & AI (NSDAI) which will make the country a global leader in Artificial Intelligence by 2030.

Saudi Arabia's NSDAI intends to put AI at the heart of the country's development and growth. By 2030, Saudi Arabia's vision is to become the place where the best of Data and AI is made reality.

Under the strategy, Saudi Arabia will implement a multi-phase, multi-faceted plan that includes skills, policy and regulation, investment, research and innovation, and ecosystem development. This will enable the country to become a global hub for data and AI, and to rank among the top data-driven economies in the world.

Speaking at the launch of the strategy, HE Dr. Abdullah Bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of SDAIA, said: "The National Strategy for Data and AI sets the direction and foundations upon which we will unlock the potential of data and AI to fulfill our national transformation priorities and establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for data and AI."

Saudi Arabia has a strong foundation for its AI ambitions, based on the country's unique scale in critical industries, and its position as an investment powerhouse. The Kingdom also has a young population and a desire for large-scale programs such as Vision 2030. Upcoming Saudi megaprojects including NEOM smart city and Qiddiya entertainment capital will provide testbeds for advanced AI.

The Kingdom has implemented a unique data infrastructure with a centralized ecosystem of resources to support government to successfully complete AI initiatives, including a National Data Bank, G-Cloud, and a whole-government analytics and AI platform.

The implementation of the National Strategy for Data & AI will follow a multi-phase approach, which will focus on addressing the immediate national requirements for Saudi Arabia until 2025, particularly the Vision 2030 strategic development goals. From 2025 until 2030, Saudi Arabia will focus on developing specialisms in specific areas of AI, to become one of the leading AI and data-driven economies by 2030.