Saudi Arabia Enters Global Top 10 for AI Investment

Saudi Arabia has secured a place among the world's top 10 countries for private artificial intelligence investment, underlining the Kingdom's fast-growing technology and innovation ecosystem.

The report identifies Saudi Arabia as a leading destination for AI talent in 2025, based on strong net inflows of AI workers relative to the country's professional population. By the end of 2025, the Kingdom counted at least 664 AI companies, which together attracted about 9.1 billion USD (roughly SAR 34.1 billion) across 70 investment deals.

Saudi-based AI firms accounted for around 64% of all venture capital activity in the wider MENA region by 2025, with regional AI funding reaching about 2.1 billion USD in the first half of the year, driven mainly by Saudi companies and funds. The sector has grown sharply, expanding from 177 firms in 2019 to more than 242 in 2023.

Public capital leads the way

Sovereign and public capital remain major drivers. Funding is channeled largely through PIF and its portfolio companies, including the Humain infrastructure fund, which secured up to 1.2 billion USD (about SAR 4.5 billion) to expand AI and digital infrastructure. Wa'ed Ventures, Aramco's investment arm, runs a 500 million USD fund with 100 million USD reserved specifically for AI deals.

By 2024–2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 14th globally and first in the Arab world in the Global AI Index, and first worldwide in the "Government Strategy for AI" category. The national strategy targets SAR 30 billion in cumulative foreign direct investment and SAR 45 billion in local investment in data and AI by 2030 — a push aligned with wider economic diversification goals that promise new jobs and opportunities for residents and expats across the Kingdom.

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