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.



Gulf Defenses Destroy 12 Ballistic Missiles, 50 Drones as 3 Soldiers Wounded in Kuwait

Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
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Gulf Defenses Destroy 12 Ballistic Missiles, 50 Drones as 3 Soldiers Wounded in Kuwait

Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)

Defenses in the Gulf downed on Saturday 12 ballistic missiles and 50 drones fired at civilian locations and vital facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait as the US-Israeli war on Iran entered its third week.

Meanwhile, two drone attacks on the Ahmed Al-Jaber Base in Kuwait wounded three members of the armed forces and left material damage.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi defense destroyed 12 drones in the Eastern Region and one in each of the Empty Quarter and al-Jawf, said official Defense Ministry spokesman Turki Al-Malki.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates reported a new missile attack Sunday morning, a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major UAE ports, threatening for the first time a neighboring country’s non-US assets.

Tehran accused the United States of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports, without providing evidence, as the war showed no signs of ending.

Earlier, UAE defenses intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones fired from Iran.

The attacks have left six people dead, including Emiratis and nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. A total of 141 injuries have been reported among citizens and residents.

The Defense Ministry stressed that the armed forces were on the highest alert level to handle any threats and firmly confront anything that may harm the country’s security, in order to protect its sovereignty, stability and national interests.

The UAE strongly condemned the unprovoked terrorist drone attack that targeted the UAE Consulate General in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the second time in a week.

The attack resulted in injuries to two security personnel and damage to the consulate building.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that targeting diplomatic missions and premises constitutes a flagrant violation of international norms and laws, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises and the protection of diplomatic personnel. Such acts represent a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional security and stability.

The UAE has called on the Iraqi government and the government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to investigate the circumstances surrounding this attack, identify those responsible, and take all necessary measures to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s firm rejection of terrorist attacks aimed at undermining security and stability, emphasizing the need to protect diplomatic premises, missions, and their personnel in accordance with international laws and norms.

UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the arrest of 25 individuals of various nationalities for publishing misleading content on digital platforms that harms national defense measures and glorifies acts of military aggression against the State.

They have been referred for an expedited trial.

The move follows rigorous monitoring of digital platforms to combat the spread of fabricated information and artificial content intended to incite public disorder and undermine general stability.

Al Shamsi said that exploiting cyberspace to circulate misleading content and footage that harms public security or compromises the state’s defensive capabilities is a criminal offense. This is particularly critical given the military aggression currently faced by the state, and such behavior will be met with firm legal action.

Kuwait

Drones hit Kuwait’s international airport. The drone attack Saturday night hit the airport’s radar system, Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

Flights there have been halted since the start of the war.

Three members of the Kuwaiti army sustained minor injuries when two drones damaged the Ahmed Al-Jaber air base on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Kuwait’s air defense system intercepted another three drones, and two drones fell outside what the ministry called “the threat area” and posed no danger.

Early in the war, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire during an Iranian attack. Kuwait is also where six US soldiers were killed in a drone strike on a command center.

Bahrain

Bahrain announced that it has intercepted 124 missiles and 203 drones since the start of the conflict.

Three rockets and 10 drones were downed on Saturday.

Authorities urged people to stay at home and that they should leave only when necessary. They must steer clear of damaged location or any suspicious objects. They are also prohibited from filming or photographing military operations or locations where debris and shrapnel have landed.

Qatar

Qatari’s Interior Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani underscored the stability and stability of the country.

The safety of anyone residing in the country is a “red line” and a “priority in every step we take,” he added during a televised interview on Friday.


Bahrain Arrests 6 for Sympathizing with Iran Attacks

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
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Bahrain Arrests 6 for Sympathizing with Iran Attacks

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)

Bahrain announced on Saturday the arrest of six people for posting videos related to the effects of the Iranian attacks, expressing sympathy with it and glorifying its hostile acts, as well as spreading false news and inciting the targeting of sites in the kingdom.

The videos were circulated through their social media accounts, which could mislead public opinion, spread fear among citizens and residents, and harm security and public order, said the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

The ministry urged everyone to obtain information from official sources and not to circulate or repost unverified videos or news, to avoid legal accountability and preserve the nation’s security and safety.


Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Sultan of Oman on Death of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
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Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Sultan of Oman on Death of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said

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

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, held a phone call on Saturday with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman, during which he conveyed his condolences and sympathy on the passing of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said.

The Crown Prince prayed that Allah Almighty grant the deceased His mercy and forgiveness.

Sultan Haitham expressed his appreciation to the Crown Prince for his heartfelt fraternal sentiments and the solidarity conveyed in this message of condolence.