Interview: Salman Al Badran, CEO, Mobily How will 5G deployment in Saudi Arabia drive digital transformation in key non-oil sectors, and what strategies will accelerate its rollout? SALMAN AL BADRAN: The deployment of 5G in Saudi Arabia will drive digital transformation across key non-oil sectors like health care, education and manufacturing. In health care, 5G will improve access and efficiency…
Interview: Yaser Al Onaizan, CEO, National Centre for Artificial Intelligence In what ways can artificial intelligence (AI) and big data contribute to the objectives of Vision 2030? YASER AL ONAIZAN: Both AI and big data are central pillars of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. AI is critical to enhancing service delivery, particularly in health care and education. For example, AI can facilitate…
Interview: Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary-General, Digital Cooperation Organisation How does multilateral cooperation address the digital divide between and within countries? DEEMAH AL YAHYA: An estimated 2.6bn people around the world still lack internet access. This gap restricts opportunities and economic growth, with the IMF estimating that a 10% increase in digital penetration could boost per capita…
Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector is the largest in the MENA region, with a total value of SR166bn ($44bn) and contributing approximately 4% to the Kingdom’s GDP. Growth is propelled by the widespread digital transformation taking place across government, industry and society. Moreover, the Kingdom is striving to position itself as a regional centre for ICT and draw investors by strengthening data protection…
The conflict in Ukraine has caused disruption across the global economy, prompting an increase in the number and sophistication of cyberattacks. According to a poll of 800 chief audit executives conducted by the UK-based Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors, 77% of respondents thought the conflict in Ukraine had elevated cybersecurity and data-security risks. Senior cybersecurity analysts have…
Saudi Arabia identified the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) early on, recognising its potential to drive economic diversification, enhance efficiency across sectors and position the Kingdom as a global leader in cutting-edge technology. In 2020 under the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the government introduced a comprehensive national strategy for data and AI,…
Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector, the largest in the MENA region, is valued at $44bn and contributes 4% to GDP. The sector’s growth is driven by digital transformation across government and industries. As part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom aims for a 19.2% digital economy contribution by 2025. Key initiatives include the Saudi Cloud Strategy and the Cloud Computing Special Economic Zone, supporting sectors…
Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest economy, is progressing towards diversification under Vision 2030. The digital economy is a standout performer, contributing 14% of GDP, while government-led giga-projects open long-term opportunities across various sectors. Despite a dip in oil activities that reduced the current account surplus to 3.2% in 2023, tourism income surged by 38%, boosting the servi
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing a period of sustained economic growth, outperforming other G20 nations in 2022. This expansion is attributed to higher global energy prices, resulting in a fiscal surplus and supporting diversification efforts and the non-oil sector.
Key public and private research, development and innovation (RDI) institutions are being harnessed to cultivate domestic and international partnerships designed to foster knowledge-sharing and skill transfer, and reinforce the innovation ecosystem in the Kingdom. Indeed, the Sustainable Partnerships Conference held in Riyadh in November 2022 resulted in 50 partnerships being signed between Saudi universities…
