Saudi Investment Minister at Davos: “We Are Not Starting from Scratch in AI”
DAVOS, Switzerland – During a high-level panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment, Khalid Al-Falih, delivered a firm rebuttal to suggestions that the Kingdom is a latecomer to the global Artificial Intelligence race.
Responding to a moderator’s question on whether Saudi Arabia was deploying AI “almost from scratch,” Al-Falih highlighted that the Kingdom’s digital transformation has been a core pillar of Vision 2030 since its inception.
A Tech-Native Population
Al-Falih pointed to Saudi Arabia’s unique demographic advantage as a catalyst for rapid AI adoption. “I would disagree with coming from scratch,” Al-Falih stated. “You’d be surprised how tech-savvy and tech-native the Saudi population is. 70% of the Saudi population are below the age of 35, and the majority of them are as comfortable with digital technologies as any other country in the world”.
Strategic Infrastructure and Governance
The Minister detailed the institutional framework that has been in place for years, including the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), which regulates and sets ethical guidelines. He noted that the Kingdom’s open data policy was launched as early as 2018, long before the current generative AI boom.
“When Vision 2030 was launched… we identified technology as the key enabler, AI included,” Al-Falih explained. This strategy involved building sovereign data centers and developing “Alam,” a leading Arabic Large Language Model (LLM) .
Real-World AI Impact
The Minister provided concrete examples of how AI is already diversifying the Saudi economy:
- Healthcare: AI applications have reduced the time to diagnose diabetic eye disease by 80%, saving thousands of clinical physician hours .
- Energy: ACWA Power utilizes AI-driven cameras to protect wildlife at wind farms and has reduced chemical use in water desalination by 30% .
Sovereign AI and Cultural Values
Closing his remarks on governance, Al-Falih emphasized the need for “sovereign models” to prevent data bias. He argued that AI must be consistent with local values: “We also don’t want to lose our value and our character… these models cannot be developed in one country and then assumed to be relevant and applicable to every other country” .
