عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Saudi Arabia Declares 2026 ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’ to Boost Data Economy

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, President of Saudi Data and Al Authority, speaks during the Global Al Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 21, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri  
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, President of Saudi Data and Al Authority, speaks during the Global Al Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 21, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri  
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Declares 2026 ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’ to Boost Data Economy

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, President of Saudi Data and Al Authority, speaks during the Global Al Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 21, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri  
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, President of Saudi Data and Al Authority, speaks during the Global Al Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 21, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri  

As the global race toward a digital economy accelerates and the world enters a new era driven by algorithms, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a key player in the future of advanced technologies.

The Saudi Cabinet has declared 2026 the “Year of Artificial Intelligence,” a decision that reflects a strategic direction placing AI at the center of the Kingdom’s development policies in the coming years.

“This step embodies the vision of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s global standing in advanced technologies and creating broad national momentum around their role in shaping a smarter and more sustainable future,” said Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in a statement issued after the decision.

Al-Ghamdi added that the “Year of Artificial Intelligence” reflects Saudi Arabia’s scientific, cultural and humanitarian commitment to deploying these technologies in service of humanity and making them an effective tool for improving people’s lives worldwide.

He said the nationwide celebration of the year highlights the kingdom’s position as an international hub for advanced technologies and an influential actor in shaping global AI policy.

According to Al-Ghamdi, artificial intelligence has become one of the most powerful drivers of the global economy. Advanced economies increasingly rely on it to boost growth and improve quality of life by transforming vital sectors such as healthcare, education, transport, energy and security, while accelerating innovation and strengthening competitiveness.

Building a National AI Ecosystem

In recent years, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, established by royal decree in 2019 with direct support from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has worked to build an integrated national ecosystem for data and artificial intelligence.

This effort has included expanding digital infrastructure, launching the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence, developing regulatory and governance frameworks, and introducing national platforms and programs to encourage the adoption of AI technologies across multiple sectors.

The authority has also hosted major international events in the field, most notably the Global AI Summit, which is preparing to hold its fourth edition in September under the patronage of the Crown Prince. The summit brings together leading experts, policymakers, and major technology companies from around the world.

These initiatives have helped Saudi Arabia achieve advanced rankings in several global indices related to data and artificial intelligence. They have also expanded the use of smart technologies across government, private and nonprofit sectors, improving service efficiency, boosting innovation, and stimulating the digital economy.

As part of efforts to build national capabilities, SDAIA trained more than one million Saudi citizens in artificial intelligence technologies within a single year through the SMAI initiative, reflecting the kingdom’s strategy of preparing a generation capable of working with emerging technologies and leading the country’s digital transformation.

Saudi Arabia’s AI sector is also experiencing rapid investment growth. Government spending on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies rose 56.25 percent in 2024 compared with 2023, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Meanwhile, Saudi companies operating in the AI sector secured $9.1 billion in funding last year through 70 investment deals, while the number of companies working in the data and artificial intelligence sector has reached 664.

Expanding Technological Infrastructure

At the same time, Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded its technological infrastructure.

Data center capacity increased 42.4 percent between 2023 and 2024, alongside the launch of advanced projects such as the high-performance supercomputer Shaheen 3 and the development of global-scale data centers designed to support artificial intelligence applications.

In early 2026, the Kingdom also inaugurated Hexagon, the world’s largest government data center, with a capacity of 480 megawatts. Saudi Arabia now hosts nine cloud regions, four of which are under construction by global cloud service providers.

In addition, more than 430 government systems have been integrated into the National Data Lake, strengthening the country’s data infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia’s efforts extend beyond the domestic arena. The Kingdom has supported international initiatives promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Among the most notable initiatives is the establishment in Riyadh of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) under the auspices of UNESCO.

As part of strengthening the national AI ecosystem, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced in May 2025 the launch of Humain, a company owned by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The firm aims to develop and manage artificial intelligence solutions and invest across the sector.

The company is working on advanced AI models, including one of the most prominent large language models in Arabic. It is also developing next-generation data centers and cloud computing infrastructure, strengthening local technological capabilities and opening new opportunities for the digital economy both regionally and globally.

The Public Investment Fund and its portfolio companies are also supporting the AI ecosystem through investments and international partnerships, leveraging Saudi Arabia’s strategic geographic position between three continents, which facilitates connections between global data networks and enables rapid processing of vast data volumes.

The Kingdom’s rapidly growing economy and large youth population interested in emerging technologies are also contributing to capacity building, research and innovation in the field.

 

 

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Middle East War Reshaping National Energy Strategies, Says IEA

An empty fuel station, as India faces rising oil prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Halvad, Gujarat, India, May 22, 2026. (Reuters)
An empty fuel station, as India faces rising oil prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Halvad, Gujarat, India, May 22, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Middle East War Reshaping National Energy Strategies, Says IEA

An empty fuel station, as India faces rising oil prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Halvad, Gujarat, India, May 22, 2026. (Reuters)
An empty fuel station, as India faces rising oil prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Halvad, Gujarat, India, May 22, 2026. (Reuters)

The Middle East war is pushing countries to open new supply routes and turn to domestic resources to tide over the world's biggest energy crisis, the International Energy Agency said Thursday.

"We are in the midst of the largest energy security crisis the world has ever faced -- and I believe this will reshape investment strategies globally, with parallels to the major changes the energy world witnessed after the oil shocks of the 1970s," said IEA executive director Fatih Birol

"We are already seeing intensified efforts by both producer and consumer countries to diversify trade routes and energy sources -- such as advancing new pipelines and other supply infrastructure, on the one hand, and turning more to domestically available resources, on the other," he added in the World Energy Investment report by the energy agency of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The IEA estimates that global energy investment will reach $3.4 trillion in 2026, slightly higher than the previous year, with around $2.2 trillion devoted to power grids, storage, low-emission fuels, nuclear, renewables, energy efficiency and electrification.

Alongside this, around $1.2 trillion is expected to be invested in oil, natural gas and coal.

It nevertheless expects oil investment to decline for the third straight year in 2026, falling below $500 billion despite rising crude prices.

This is due to uncertainty over how long higher prices will last, project lead times, supply constraints and the tightening offshore rigs market, which are limiting short-term investment outside the Middle East.

By contrast, investment in natural gas is "projected to rise to $330 billion, the highest level in a decade, supported by a wave of new LNG export projects, particularly in the United States and Qatar," IEA said.

At the same time, oil-importing countries are turning to energy sources available domestically, notably renewables, nuclear and coal, the report said.

The IEA estimates that investment in renewables should reach around $665 billion in 2026, including $365 billion for solar alone.

Investment in nuclear energy and is set to exceed $80 billion annually while investment in coal should reach $180 billion -- the highest in 10 years, it said.

China alone will account for nearly 70 percent of global coal supply spending, and some Asian countries may seek to extend the operation of their existing coal-fired power plants in order to strengthen their energy security.

The IEA said investment in electricity supply and infrastructure is expected to reach nearly $1.6 trillion in 2026, including around $550 billion for power grids, while investment in battery storage should exceed $100 billion.

Business

ECB Chief Economist Sees Persistent Impact on Inflation from Iran War

The Euro currency symbol is seen prior to a press conference after an ECB's governing council meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
The Euro currency symbol is seen prior to a press conference after an ECB's governing council meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
TT
TT

ECB Chief Economist Sees Persistent Impact on Inflation from Iran War

The Euro currency symbol is seen prior to a press conference after an ECB's governing council meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
The Euro currency symbol is seen prior to a press conference after an ECB's governing council meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)

The energy shock caused by the Middle East conflict will likely have a persistent impact on inflation even if there is a quick solution to the war, the European Central Bank's chief economist, Philip Lane, said on Thursday.

While oil prices historically tended to revert to original levels after a burst of increases, the current episode may be different as energy costs may stay elevated with countries restocking inventory or diversifying their energy mix, he said.

"We had ‌an overnight, fairly ‌quick and big decline in global oil ‌supply, ⁠which has been ⁠masked until now by inventories," Lane said at a conference hosted by the BOJ and its think tank in Tokyo.

"Even if the initial energy shock starts to reverse, the second round (effects) will be with us for a while," he said.

With the energy shock pushing up prices, financial markets have fully priced in ⁠two hikes in the ECB's 2% deposit ‌rate and see a roughly 50% ‌chance of a third move over the next year. Economists are more ‌cautious and see just two hikes, followed by a cut ‌in mid-2027, a Reuters poll showed.

Lane said there could be some policy lessons from past energy shocks, such as that rising energy costs could push up inflation abruptly and cause "all sorts of non-linear" mechanisms ‌that broaden price hikes.

"But it's not the same non-linearity we had four years ago," when ⁠supply disruptions ⁠from the Ukraine war and strong demand from the COVID re-opening pushed up inflation, he said.

Central banks must acknowledge any substantial shocks and their potential impact on inflation, but avoid overreacting in setting monetary policy, Lane said.

"You have to be skillful in terms of looking at monetary transmission, consumer confidence and all these different mechanisms," he said.

While some inflationary pressures from a supply shock do calm down over time, it was important for central banks to make sure "there's no persistent belief in the population or among price-setting sectors that inflation is going to be too high for too long," he said.

Business

Dollar Firms to One-Week High as Gulf Tensions Flare, Yen Nears Intervention Zone

US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Dollar Firms to One-Week High as Gulf Tensions Flare, Yen Nears Intervention Zone

US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. (Reuters)

The dollar firmed to a one-week high on Thursday after Middle East tensions ratcheted up following fresh US strikes on Iran, while the yen softened toward a level that triggered central bank intervention last month.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they targeted a US airbase after what they described as an early morning US attack near Bandar Abbas airport, Tasnim news agency reported, while Kuwait's army said its air defenses were intercepting hostile ‌missile and ‌drone threats.

That followed news that the US military ‌carried ⁠out new strikes targeting ⁠an Iranian drone operation that it said posed a threat to US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices rebounded and the safe-haven dollar steadied as hopes of a swift resolution to the war faded, with investors now increasingly expecting the greenback to break higher as the Federal Reserve shifts its focus to battling inflation amid elevated energy prices.

"Geopolitics and ⁠the subsequent inflation risks remain a key concern," Alex ‌Saunders, Citi's head of global quant ‌macro strategy, wrote. "We continue to see a trim in the USD underweight."

The euro was 0.2% ‌lower at $1.1600, while the pound was down nearly 0.3% at $1.3392.

The risk-sensitive ‌Australian dollar weakened 0.4% to $0.7111to a one-week low, and the New Zealand dollar was down 0.3% at $0.58831.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six major peers, strengthened 0.17% to 99.464, near its highest level since ‌May 21.

Markets will now look ahead to today's release of the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the core PCE ⁠deflator, which ⁠will help shape the broader interest rate outlook.

The yen weakened to as far as 159.610 per dollar on Thursday, the lowest since April 30 and within sight of the 160 level that triggered intervention by Japanese authorities last month.

That intervention bought policymakers some breathing room, but questions linger over its lasting impact, said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG.

"The broader question is whether it was worth it for what essentially amounts to just a single month's relief. And furthermore, will authorities have the stomach to write a similar-sized cheque if the 160 level is breached again in the coming sessions?" he said.

Markets are pricing a roughly 70% chance of a quarter-point interest rate rise at the BOJ's June 15–16 policy meeting, LSEG data showed.