Saudi Arabia among world’s top 10 in AI investment, emerges as global talent hub: World Bank

ISLAMABAD, Aug 13 (APP): Saudi Arabia has ranked among the world’s top 10 countries for private investment in artificial intelligence, while also emerging as a major destination for global AI talent, according to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2026.

According to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the World Bank report, titled The Promise of AI, highlighted the Kingdom’s progress in AI investment, digital infrastructure, government data integration and attracting specialized technology professionals.

The World Bank’s first comprehensive assessment of the impact of AI on developing economies, examines opportunities offered by the technology to individuals, businesses and governments, as well as the infrastructure, skills and institutions required to maximize its benefits while managing associated risks.

SPA told APP that Saudi Arabia has combined investment incentives and special economic zones to attract capital into data centers and computing infrastructure while developing an ecosystem encompassing skilled professionals, startups, energy and other infrastructure required for AI growth.

The Kingdom’s data-center capacity increased from 68 megawatts in 2021 to 440 megawatts in 2025, reaching 467 megawatts in the first quarter of 2026  nearly seven times the 2021 level.

Saudi Arabia’s 4G and 5G network coverage reached 99 percent by the end of 2025, while average internet speed stood at 216 megabits per second, providing a strong foundation for cloud computing and AI-powered services.

The World Bank report also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s growing ability to attract international AI professionals. In 2025, the Kingdom was among the economies recording the highest net inflows of AI workers per 10,000 LinkedIn members, alongside Luxembourg, Australia and Switzerland.

The Kingdom also recorded a net inflow of 3.08 among leading AI authors and innovators during the same year, reflecting the growing attractiveness of Saudi Arabia’s technology sector to specialized global talent.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s technology workforce has expanded to around 426,000, compared with 150,000 in 2018, representing cumulative growth of 186.6 percent. Women’s participation in information and communications technology professions has also reached 35 percent.

The report cited Saudi Arabia as a model for government data infrastructure, highlighting a platform operated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) that enables the integration of data from more than 60 government entities while allowing the data to remain within their respective systems.

The approach supports organized and secure data exchange, enabling government entities to develop more effective digital applications while strengthening data governance, trust and protection.

Saudi Arabia’s wider digital economy has also continued to expand, contributing 16 percent of gross domestic product, while the Kingdom’s information and communications technology market reached SAR199 billion in 2025.

The Kingdom also ranked second globally in the World Bank’s 2025 GovTech Maturity Index, reflecting advances in digital government and technology-driven public services.

SPA said Saudi Arabia also contributed to the international discussions underpinning the World Bank report, with Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha serving on its high-level advisory committee.

The findings come as Saudi Arabia has designated 2026 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence,” following approval by the Council of Ministers chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on March 10.

Saudi Arabia’s expanding investment in computing, data infrastructure, skilled human resources and digital governance is strengthening its position in the global AI landscape while supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.