Saudi Arabia has ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa in the Government AI Readiness Index 2025 released by Oxford Insights, one of the world’s leading benchmarks used for decision-making and regulatory planning in artificial intelligence.
The ranking reflects the Kingdom’s rapid and sustained progress in adopting and developing artificial intelligence applications across government institutions in a structured and sustainable manner. The index evaluates the ability of governments to adopt and leverage AI in public policy and government services, assessing 195 countries worldwide across governance, infrastructure, and institutional readiness.
Saudi Arabia’s top regional position underscores the maturity of its national AI ecosystem and its expanding role in promoting the responsible and effective use of advanced technologies. These efforts aim to enhance quality of life, improve government service efficiency, and advance the goals of Vision 2030.
Globally, the Kingdom ranked seventh in the governance pillar and ninth in public-sector AI adoption, highlighting balanced progress across both regulatory frameworks and practical implementation of AI within government operations.
The achievement comes amid sustained institutional support for the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) from His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of SDAIA’s Board of Directors. This backing has enabled SDAIA to advance national data and AI capabilities, strengthen foresight, and drive continued innovation in artificial intelligence.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia demonstrated strong performance in several core pillars, particularly in AI infrastructure, supported by national platforms such as HUMAIN, which enhances computing capabilities and supports the development of AI models.
The Kingdom has also made significant strides in AI governance, adoption of smart technologies in the public sector, policy formulation, and accelerating the deployment of AI systems, while maintaining flexibility in embracing modern technological solutions. These advancements further position Saudi Arabia as a leading data- and AI-driven economy at both regional and global levels.
Suggested Tags:
