Saudi Arabia Ranks Among Global Top 10 for Private AI Investment

Saudi Arabia ranks among the top 10 countries globally for private investment in artificial intelligence, according to the World Bank’s ‘World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence’.

The report also highlights Saudi Arabia’s approach to government data infrastructure, citing the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s role in enabling data integration across more than 60 government entities while allowing information to remain within each entity’s own systems. The model is presented as an example of organised and secure data sharing between public bodies.

The World Bank links the Kingdom’s progress in data and AI infrastructure to a broader national strategy aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at developing a more data-driven and computing-enabled economy. The report also points to Saudi Arabia’s ability to attract specialised AI professionals.

In 2025, Saudi Arabia was among the economies recording the highest net inflows of AI professionals per 10,000 LinkedIn members. The report recorded a net inflow of 3.08 among elite AI talent, indicating increased movement of highly skilled specialists into the Kingdom.

The findings come during Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, alongside continued investment in data infrastructure, computing capacity and AI adoption across government and the wider economy.