Saudi Arabia is among the top 10 countries worldwide for private investment in artificial intelligence, according to the World Development Report 2026 released by the World Bank Group.
SPA reported that the report, titled The Promise of Artificial Intelligence, highlighted the role of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in building an integrated data ecosystem. SDAIA enables data integration across more than 60 government entities while maintaining data within their own systems.
The World Bank noted the Kingdom’s ability to attract specialized talent. In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked among the economies with the highest net inflows of AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members, recording a net inflow of 3.08 professionals.
These developments align with Saudi Vision 2030 to build an innovation-focused, computing-enabled, and data-driven economy. The report’s release coincides with the designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence in the Kingdom.
How does Saudi Arabia rank in global AI investment according to the World Bank? Saudi Arabia is positioned among the top 10 countries worldwide for private investment in artificial intelligence. This finding was detailed in the World Development Report 2026, titled The Promise of Artificial Intelligence, which also noted the Kingdom’s ability to attract specialized talent to its technology ecosystem.
What role does SDAIA play in the Kingdom’s data ecosystem? The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) supports data integration across more than 60 government entities. The World Bank report highlighted this as a model for building digital infrastructure for AI and data, as it allows for organized and secure data sharing while keeping data within the entities’ own systems.
What are the statistics regarding AI talent inflows to Saudi Arabia? In 2025, Saudi Arabia was among the economies with the highest net inflows of AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members. Specifically, the Kingdom recorded a net inflow of 3.08 AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members, reflecting the attractiveness of its technology ecosystem.
How does the World Bank report relate to Saudi Vision 2030 and current designations? The achievements mentioned in the report reflect a national strategy aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 to create a computing-enabled and data-driven economy. Additionally, the publication of the report coincides with the designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence in the Kingdom.