Why 2024 was a pivotal year for AI adoption and innovation in Saudi Arabia

The report provided a comprehensive overview of the Kingdom’s progress in AI. (SPA)
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Updated 26 December 2024
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Why 2024 was a pivotal year for AI adoption and innovation in Saudi Arabia

  • AI events and initiatives throughout the year have cemented the Kingdom’s place as a regional tech leader
  • Thanks to new investments, Saudi Arabia now ranks 14th globally and 1st in the Arab world in the Global AI Index

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has enjoyed a fruitful year of events and initiatives intended to advance the adoption of artificial intelligence, propelling the Kingdom to the 14th position in the Global AI Index and 1st in the Arab world.

Recently, Saudi Arabia was also ranked third globally in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s AI Policy Observatory, behind the US and the UK. But how did the Kingdom rise to such heights?

The “State of AI in Saudi Arabia” report, unveiled by Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, the president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, detailed the Kingdom’s advancements from 2019-23 during the Global AI Summit held in Riyadh in September.

The report provided a comprehensive overview of the Kingdom’s progress in AI, focusing on seven key pillars: regulations and policies, investment, infrastructure, data, talent development, research and innovation, and adoption.

It also highlighted the Saudi Data and AI Authority’s central role in driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation. According to SDAIA’s forecasts, AI is expected to contribute SR58.8 trillion ($15.6 trillion) to the global economy by 2030 and create 98 million jobs by 2025.

Mohammed Al-Qarni, an academic and consultant on AI for business, believes the rapid pace of the Kingdom’s AI adoption has come at “a critical time.”




MOZN office in Riyadh. (Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

“It is now or never,” Al-Qarni told Arab News. “Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambition to be a globally competitive nation means that we must proactively utilize the latest technology to our advantage.

“Think of AI as a means to diversify the economy, another Vision 2030 ambition, or to develop globally competitive citizens.

“How rapidly we advance in AI adoption will significantly impact these ambitions. That being said, I think there is a long way to go. As AI is still developing, we must be agile to shape its future, whether in governance and ethics, technical development, or its impact on human lives.”

Al-Qarni said the most impressive advancement in 2024 was the Riyadh Declaration, a document announced during the 19th session of the Internet Governance Forum, hosted by Saudi Arabia and organized by the UN.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the declaration focuses on AI with its inclusive, innovative, and impactful dimensions and emphasizes the need for using AI technologies to enable digital access, enhance digital knowledge, address global challenges, and unlock economic value.

“It asserts Saudi global leadership in AI and focuses on AI’s inclusive, innovative, and transformative potential,” said Al-Qarni.

“The Declaration highlights the importance of leveraging AI technologies to expand digital access, enhance digital literacy, tackle global challenges, and unlock significant economic value worldwide.”

He added: “Nations that embrace AI will win, and those who let fear of AI get the best of them will lose.




Smart Citizens actively embrace AI-powered technologies in luxury apartments and homes. (Supplied)

“Globally, the next few years will offer as much opportunity as risk. Saudi Arabia has shown that it would be in the first camp. I expect more investment in human capital and technology. I also expect regulations to mature over the next few years, and I hope those regulations will more effectively support AI innovation and adoption.”

The past 12 months have seen a flurry of AI investment activity. The Kingdom recently launched a $100 billion AI initiative, named “Project Transcendence,” to position itself as a global tech hub.

The project, led by the Public Investment Fund in collaboration with Google, aims to support local tech startups, create jobs, and collaborate with technology firms globally.

From fashion to sports, AI is already being utilized in almost every sector imaginable. The boxing rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh on Dec. 21 featured an experimental fourth judge powered by AI, designed to help eliminate bias and human error in scoring.

Technology that supports good sportsmanship has also extended to the digital realm. FACEIT, a platform that uses Minerva, employs specialized AI technology to understand in-game actions and other non-text chat behaviors to improve multiplayer gaming experiences.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Riyadh Declaration focused on AI’s transformative potential, enhancing digital access, literacy, and addressing global challenges.

• Project Transcendence is a $100 billion initiative led by Saudi Arabia and Google to support startups and create jobs.

• Saudi achievements in the health sector include the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh.

• Generative AI research at KAUST aims to pioneer innovation and address global challenges through training and upskilling.


Saudi Arabia’s health-tech sector is also undergoing a major transformation driven by AI, promising significant economic and operational benefits. A McKinsey & Co. analysis forecasts that by 2030, AI could unlock $15 to $27 billion in economic value for the Kingdom’s medical sector.

The Saudi health sector has made significant strides thanks to AI, such as the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant performed on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh.

A medical team led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of cardiac surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, performed the operation after practicing the procedure virtually.




These solutions have already shown results with a 40 percent decrease in false alarms. (Supplied)

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has also joined the global AI race by accelerating generative AI research through models aligned with the Kingdom’s Research Development and Innovation Authority.

Its Center of Excellence on Generative AI (GenAI Coe) intends to become the premier hub for pioneering generative AI technology to address the most pressing challenges faced by the Kingdom and the world.

The GenAI CoE also intends to focus on making a positive impact through GenAI training and upskilling programs for KAUST researchers, partners, and the general public. Through these training outreach initiatives, the CoE hopes to address the shortage of GenAI talent in Saudi Arabia.

As the Kingdom enters 2025, it is well-positioned to continue its meteoric rise as an AI leader.

 


New smart portal launched to enrich pilgrims’ Grand Mosque experience

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New smart portal launched to enrich pilgrims’ Grand Mosque experience

  • The interactive portal is the first of its kind, says the president of religious affairs

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia gears up for this year’s Hajj, the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has launched a new smart portal to enhance the digital experience of pilgrims to the Grand Mosque.

The initiative offers well-curated Islamic content in a simplified and comprehensive manner that addresses the needs of pilgrims, visitors and Umrah performers, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The portal offers a fully integrated digital platform dedicated to delivering religious and enrichment services.

President of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, said it was the first smart, faith-based portal of its kind — innovative, globally accessible and highly regulated.

Designed in multiple languages, it serves as an enrichment reference for pilgrims based on a carefully curated and standardized database.

The interactive platform is powered by several smart technologies and offers a range of features including prayer time displays, notifications about imams and muezzins, and schedules of religious lessons and their locations. It is distinguished by an interactive navigation feature that allows visitors to directly access service and lesson locations using smart maps within the app.

The portal also enables instant responses to visitor queries through live chat and provides guidance on how to perform prayer and ablution, along with definitions of Islamic terms. It can be accessed via https://services.prh.gov.sa.

The Presidency also unveiled the updated second version of its AI-powered Manarat Al-Haramain robot on Wednesday, as part of an initiative aiming to leverage advanced technologies to enhance pilgrims’ spiritual experiences.

The robot will act as a reference point for religious inquiries at the Grand Mosque and can connect worshippers and other visitors to direct video calls with muftis who can answer any questions they have.


Saudi university develops sensor to reduce fresh produce spoilage

Updated 22 May 2025
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Saudi university develops sensor to reduce fresh produce spoilage

  • Enables real-time remote monitoring across food supply chain
  • King Faisal University registers the device with US patent office

AL-AHSA: Researchers at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province have developed a low-cost smart sensor that aims to reduce spoilage of fresh produce.

The Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday that the device, which is now registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office, is designed to predict spoilage early during transportation and storage.

Developed by a team from the KFU’s College of Science, the device detects volatile organic compounds, particularly ethylene gas, a key indicator of the onset of spoilage in fresh produce.

The smart sensor enables remote monitoring by stakeholders across the food supply chain, thus helping reduce wastage of fruits and vegetables. (SPA photo)

“The compact and lightweight prototype is designed for easy installation in refrigeration units or transport containers,” the report stated.

As the device can be connected to Internet of Things networks, real-time remote monitoring and early alerts can be done by stakeholders across the food supply chain.

It can be integrated into cooling and distribution systems, offering a practical solution for the food and logistics sectors, the report stated.

It added that the device was showcased by KFU during the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh last December.

It has drawn significant interest from investors due its “practical value in supporting smart agriculture and minimizing food waste in supply chains,” the SPA reported.


Saudi women lead conversation on leadership, investment and cultural power at Fortune summit

Updated 21 May 2025
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Saudi women lead conversation on leadership, investment and cultural power at Fortune summit

  • Speaking exclusively to Arab News at the event, Princess Noura bint Faisal talks of her role in nation’s cultural development: ‘I saw an opportunity to build something meaningful’
  • The concluding day of the summit featured a strong focus on entrepreneurship, economic diversification and sectoral transformation

RIYADH: The influence Saudi women increasingly are having on global culture, policies, investment and innovation was in the spotlight on Wednesday during the second and final day of the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Princess Noura bint Faisal reflected on her own unexpected path to cultural leadership, the strategic value of soft power, and the expanding economic role of the creative sector in the Kingdom.

“I never thought I would be in the creative world,” she said. “But when I moved back to Saudi after Vision 2030 launched, I saw an opportunity to build something meaningful.”

Her journey since then has included the launch of Saudi Fashion Week in 2018 and helping to establish the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture.

“We created infrastructure that didn’t exist: new jobs, policies and real career paths for people with creative talent,” Princess Noura said.

Princess Noura emphasized the important need to integrate culture across all industries, from retail and the food and beverage sector to sports and corporate strategy: “Culture isn’t a fixed definition. It’s how you express your identity and it can absolutely be monetized if it’s supported by the right business model.”

The concluding day of the summit featured a strong focus on entrepreneurship, economic diversification and sectoral transformation.

Noor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, offered insights into her company’s regional approach to tech investment. Rather than sticking to fixed sectors, she said it backs sectors that have long been “underbuilt,” including financial technology in 2018, healthcare in 2020 and, more recently, manufacturing.

One standout example of this approach, she said, is a company that digitizes spare-part inventories for oil and gas businesses using 3D printing, thereby resolving supply-chain gaps and sustainability challenges in real time.

Her comments were complemented by insights from Aidan Madigan-Curtis, general partner at Eclipse Ventures, who discussed the ways in which geopolitical shocks and climate pressures are forcing venture capitalists to refocus on industrial technology.

“VCs like to say they’re long-term but they’re also deeply cyclical,” she noted, arguing that the future lies in reinventing the ways in which the world makes, moves and powers things, taking into account developments such as automation and advanced manufacturing.

Cultural transformation through sport was a major theme during a panel moderated by Lama Alhamawi of Arab News, titled “New Heights.” Adwa Al-Arifi, the Saudi assistant minister for sports affairs, said that since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, physical activity among Saudis has increased from just 13 percent to more than 50 percent.

The Kingdom’s National Sports Strategy focuses on mass participation, youth development and elite performance, three pillars that have already led to the achievement of some historic milestones in women’s sports, such as the qualification of taekwondo athlete Dunya Abutaleb for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Several women shared their personal journeys in sports. Zamzam Al-Hammadi, who competes in the mixed martial arts Professional Fighters League, credited her mother for inspiring her career. Boxing expert Rasha Al-Khamis told how early support from her father gave her the confidence to pursue combat sports.

Mashael Al-Obaidan said Saudi Arabia’s desert culture sparked her love of motorsports. Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of women’s football at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, spoke about the explosive growth in grassroots programs for the sport and revealed that more than 70,000 girls now play in school leagues.

Other sessions explored the economic and creative value of the fashion industry. During one on-stage discussion, Princess Noura reflected on what she considered one of the most notable outcomes of recent reforms in the country, the formal recognition of creative professionals.

“Before Vision 2030, designers weren’t even able to register their own commercial licenses,” she said. “There was no such thing as a fashion business. Today, designers can register as fashion professionals, operate legally and access support structures that didn’t exist before.”

This shift is emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s broader cultural transformation, in which creativity is no longer only a passion but also a viable and valued career path, she added.

The day’s sessions together highlighted the expanding leadership roles of Saudi women across diverse sectors and the determination of authorities in the Kingdom to turn strategic pillars such as culture, investment, sport and technology into economic engines.


Saudi Arabia ‘strongly condemns’ Israel shooting toward diplomatic delegation

Updated 22 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia ‘strongly condemns’ Israel shooting toward diplomatic delegation

  • Officials from Europe, Turkiye and Egypt scurry for cover as shots are fired toward them in the West Bank; no one is injured
  • Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry urges international community to act to halt Israeli violations in occupied Palestinian territories

RIYADH: Saudi authorities condemned “in the strongest terms” an incident on Wednesday in which Israeli soldiers fired toward a diplomatic delegation visiting the occupied West Bank.

The Kingdom called on the international community, in particular the permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, the UK, Russia, France and China), to “immediately stop Israeli violations against civilians, diplomatic missions and relief organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Saudi Arabia demands Israel be held accountable under international law for its ongoing crimes during the occupation, the ministry added.

The delegation visiting the West Bank, which included diplomats from Europe, Turkiye and Egypt, was near Jenin when shots were fired by nearby Israeli soldiers, sending the officials scurrying for cover. There were no injuries.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Israel “deliberately targeted, by live fire, an accredited diplomatic delegation.”

The incident sparked an angry response in Europe, where a number of governments condemned the shooting. Italy, France and Sweden were among those who summoned Israeli ambassadors.

The Israeli military said the visitors had “deviated from the approved route” and the soldiers fired warning shots to keep the delegation away from an unauthorized area.

Israel has been conducting a major military operation in Jenin and surrounding areas since January.


Polish pianist brings Europe’s musical soul to Saudi Arabia’s capital

Updated 21 May 2025
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Polish pianist brings Europe’s musical soul to Saudi Arabia’s capital

RIYADH: As part of the cultural dialogue between the EU and Saudi Arabia, the embassy of the EU in the Kingdom organized a musical evening at the Saudi Music Hub in Riyadh.

Speaking at “The European Piano Recital,” the EU ambassador said: “Saudi Arabia is a close ally with whom we enjoy close relations. My only wish is that music will serve to build bridges and bring our artists and our peoples closer together.”

During the recital, Polist vituoso pianist Wojciech Waleczek took the audience on a journey through the 27 countries of the EU, performing classical works that highlight the continent’s cultural diversity.

The pianist is renowned internationally for his artistic excellence and his commitment to spreading classical music throughout the world. He is also professor of musical arts at the University of Silesia in Katowice.

Waleczek told Arab News: “These were works by composers from all the countries of the European Union. We asked composers from each EU country to write a piece, which we presented this evening.

“I think this is a very important event, because we can exchange our cultures. For example, in Europe we can listen to music from other continents. Just as in Europe, we can listen to music from other continents. So we can bring European culture to other countries. That’s why I do it. I’ve discovered Polish culture and now I’d like to share it with Saudi audiences.”

Waleczek has a very active international career. He performs solo recitals, chamber music and as a soloist with orchestras in more than 40 countries, notably in Europe, the Middle East, America and Asia, and collaborates with many prestigious orchestras.

He closed his recital with a performance of Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy,” which expresses an idealistic vision of human brotherhood, a vision shared by Beethoven. In 1972, the Council of Europe adopted the theme of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” as its anthem, and in 1985 the leaders of the EU adopted it as their official anthem.

Waleczek said: “I played the ‘Ode to Joy,’ which is the anthem of the European Union, and this piece is very special. I think that, in today’s world, we must always remember that we are the guardians of peace.”

A specialist in the repertoire of Franz Liszt, his recordings include “Grandes etudes de Paganini” (2017), “Harmonies poetiques et religieuses” in 2019, and “Weihnachtsbaum” in 2024. He also performs works by Franz Schubert, such as “Rarities and Short Piano Works” in 2021.

Alongside his artistic career, he teaches at the Institute of Musical Arts at the University of Silesia. He is also vice president of the SIGNUM association, which promotes classical music in Poland and abroad.

The recital concert is part of efforts to strengthen cultural links between Europe and Saudi Arabia and accompanies the Kingdom’s artistic and cultural transformation under Vision 2030.