Astana, Kazakhstan, hosted the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026) from August 2 to 8, where the Saudi artificial intelligence team won three international awards. The event saw the participation of 108 countries.
According to SPA, the team was supervised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and KAUST Academy. This result brings the total number of Saudi Arabia’s IOAI awards to seven, consisting of one silver medal and six bronze medals.
The students underwent a specialized preparation and qualification program through Mawhiba’s International Olympiad Program and the Ministry of Education. This training focused on artificial intelligence concepts and applications under the guidance of academics and experts.
The IOAI is a competition for high school students designed to improve skills in programming, algorithms, data analysis, and machine learning while encouraging the exchange of expertise among young talents.
What awards did the Saudi AI team achieve at IOAI 2026 and in total? The Saudi artificial intelligence team won three international awards at the IOAI 2026 held in Astana, Kazakhstan. This achievement increased the total number of awards won by Saudi Arabia at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence to seven, which includes six bronze medals and one silver medal.
Who supervised the Saudi team and how were the students prepared? The team was supervised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), with partnerships involving KAUST Academy and the Ministry of Education. Students participated in a specialized preparation and qualification program under Mawhiba’s International Olympiad Program, receiving intensive training in AI applications and concepts from academics and experts.
What is the purpose of the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI)? The IOAI is a leading global competition for high school students that aims to develop specific skills in programming, algorithms, data analysis, and machine learning. Additionally, the competition seeks to promote scientific cooperation and the exchange of expertise among young talents from the 108 participating countries.