Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global allocation of economic, technological, and strategic power. States can raise productivity, modernise public administration, and influence the governance of emerging technologies through control of digital platforms, infrastructure, data, and specialised knowledge. Saudi Arabia has accordingly integrated AI into its broader transformation agenda under Vision 2030. This process accelerated further in March 2026, when the Saudi Cabinet designated 2026 as the ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’, signalling a shift from strategic planning towards wider implementation across government and society. The Kingdom’s approach combines centralised policy coordination and sovereign investment in digital infrastructure, international partnerships, and human-capital development. Saudi Arabia possesses the financial and energy resources to emerge as a major regional AI hub. Its longer-term influence, however, will depend on the extent to which foreign partnerships are translated into domestic research, intellectual property, and commercially viable innovation. Without such localisation, reliance on imported processors, cloud technologies, and expatriate expertise is likely to persist.[1]
