Saudi Arabia Outlines Strategy to Become Global Leader in AI by 2030

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Outlines Strategy to Become Global Leader in AI by 2030

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia unveiled on Wednesday its new National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence (NSDAI) which will make the Kingdom a global leader in AI by 2030.

The National Strategy, which will be led by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), was officially launched at the inaugural Global AI Summit in Riyadh. The two-day summit was launched under the auspices of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

The “AI for the Good of Humanity” is organized by the SDAIA and G20 Saudi Secretariat as part of the International Conferences Program, honoring the G20 Saudi presidency year 2020.

SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed, commending their keenness on supporting this pivotal sector.

Alghamdi said the National Strategy encompass six main areas that have been identified as essential to develop Saudi Arabia's national capacity in AI:

- Ambition: Saudi Arabia's plans are focused on turning the country into a global leader in data and AI.

- Skills: The NSDAI seeks to transform the current and future Saudi workforce, through education, and upskilling and reskilling that will enable Saudis to utilize the power of data and AI, in public and private sectors.

- Policy and Regulations: Saudi Arabia will create a world-class regulatory framework that will encourage and foster data-driven businesses.

- Investment: The NSDAI will aim to attract and incentivize local and foreign investors and companies to encourage investment in qualified opportunities within Saudi Arabia.

- Research and Innovation: Under the National Strategy, Saudi Arabia will build and enable core research and innovation institutions in data and AI, to enable the Kingdom to lead in the development and commercialization of new technologies.

- Ecosystem: The National Strategy will aim to stimulate data and AI adoption through the creation of a collaborative and forward-thinking ecosystem.

The Global AI Summit is the world's premier platform for dialogue that brings together over 200 stakeholders from public sector, academia and private sector, including technology companies, investors, entrepreneurs and startups to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Global AI Summit will be a unique global opportunity to explore what the new global era means to AI, how AI's transformational potential can be best used to create a better future for all, and what this means for policy and decision makers interested in leveraging the potential, for the good of humanity.

Proceedings of the summit will be streamed through its platforms on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.



Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Libyan Presidential Council on Death of Chief of Staff

Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Libyan Presidential Council on Death of Chief of Staff

Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent on Friday a cable of condolences to President of Libya's Presidential Council Dr. Mohamed Al-Menfi on the death of the Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army and his companions following a plane crash in Türkiye earlier this week.

King Salman extended his sincere condolences and sympathy to the president and the families of the deceased.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent A-Menfi a similar cable.

Experts have started analyzing the black boxes recovered from the jet crash in Türkiye that killed eight people, including western Libya’s military chief, the Turkish defense ministry said Thursday. The probe was being done in coordination with Libyan officials.

The private jet with Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Ankara, killing everyone on board.

Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane.


UAE Welcomes Saudi Efforts to Support Security in Yemen

The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
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UAE Welcomes Saudi Efforts to Support Security in Yemen

The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates welcomes Saudi Arabian efforts to support security and stability in Yemen and ​remains committed to backing stability in the country, the UAE’s foreign ministry said on Friday.

"The UAE reaffirmed ‌its ⁠steadfast ​commitment to ‌supporting all endeavors aimed at strengthening stability and development in Yemen," it added.


Yemeni Government Welcomes Saudi Statement on Hadhramaut, Al-Mahra

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
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Yemeni Government Welcomes Saudi Statement on Hadhramaut, Al-Mahra

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)

The Yemeni government welcomed on Thursday the statement by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praising its "clear and responsible stance on recent developments in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra governorates."

The government acknowledged the Kingdom’s "persistent efforts to contain the escalation, protect the interests of the Yemeni people, and maintain security and stability in the eastern governorates."

In a statement carried by the official news agency SABA, the government commended "the leading role of Saudi Arabia, in coordination with the United Arab Emirates, in supporting the de-escalation process, restoring normalcy, upholding the state’s institutional frameworks, and reinforcing the role of local authorities, all under the supervision of the coalition forces."

The government reiterated "its full support for the Kingdom’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the public interest, exercising restraint, and urgently ending the escalation to restore peace, social security, and national unity."

The stability of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra and the integrity of their social fabric remain a top national priority, it added.

"Any security or military measures taken outside the state’s constitutional and institutional frameworks, or without coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council, the government, and local authorities, are unacceptable and create unnecessary tension during this sensitive period," it warned.

The government underlined Yemen’s "firm stance on the Southern cause, describing it as a just cause with historical and social dimensions."

It noted that "significant progress has been achieved through national consensus, ensuring justice, partnership, and the preservation of social peace, far from any logic of dominance or escalation."