Saudi Arabia is emerging as the Middle East’s most ambitious AI powerhouse, investing more than $20bn in artificial intelligence as part of its Vision 2030 strategy.
The goal is not only to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, but to become a global leader in emerging technologies, with retail, marketing, and customer engagement among the fastest evolving sectors.
According to PwC Middle East, AI is expected to contribute up to $135bn to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2030, accounting for nearly 12.4 per cent of the national economy.
AI in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI) are leading the charge in advancing government and enterprise adoption of AI tools from predictive analytics to automated content creation.
“Saudi Arabia is not just embracing innovation; we are shaping a future where technology enhances every aspect of daily life,” said Prince Saud bin Salman Al Saud, speaking at the Global AI Summit 2024 in Riyadh.
“AI is our tool for empowerment across retail, education, and governance — and we are actively inviting innovators to help us lead this transformation.”
Across sectors, Saudi businesses are accelerating their investment in AI-powered solutions that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and personalise customer interactions.
The retail industry, in particular, is undergoing a major shift with localised content, dynamic creative automation, and real-time campaign adaptation becoming the norm.
Statista projects that Saudi Arabia’s AI-powered marketing and advertising industry will reach $2.4bn by 2028.
William Li, CEO of FancyTech, said: “AI is not about replacing creativity, it’s about scaling it intelligently. We see Saudi Arabia as a growth engine where brands are eager to combine data, culture, and creativity to deliver impactful experiences.”
FancyTech enables businesses to generate hyper-targeted content from social media visuals to digital storefront assets up to three times faster and at significantly lower production costs.
After a successful global rollout across Asia and Europe, FancyTech officially entered the GCC market in 2024, with Dubai serving as its MENA headquarters.
Retailers and marketers in KSA are increasingly shifting from static creative budgets to dynamic AI-enabled ecosystems.
This allows real-time testing, multiple campaign variants, and adaptive storytelling tailored to audience behaviour all critical in a nation where more than 70 per cent of the population is under the age of 35 and deeply connected to digital platforms.
