Saudi Arabia Leads World in AI Security, Privacy, Cryptography and Women’s Empowerment: Stanford HAI 2026 Report

Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in artificial intelligence security, privacy, and cryptography, as well as women’s empowerment in AI, according to the 2026 AI Index Report by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI).
 The rankings reflect the Kingdom’s progress in developing its technical and research ecosystem and the support provided to the sector by the leadership.
 The report highlights national efforts led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in building a competitive AI ecosystem.
 Saudi Arabia ranked third globally in the percentage change in AI talent concentration and in the share of university students using generative AI in their studies.
 It also ranked fourth globally in AI talent attraction, reflecting growing market appeal and private-sector confidence.
 The report noted the role of national initiatives such as the One Million Saudis in AI (SAMAI) program in expanding participation and building skills.
 Saudi Arabia recorded the fastest global growth in AI talent share, exceeding 100% between 2019 and 2025.
 The report also showed that more than 80% of employees in the Kingdom use AI regularly, compared to a global average of 58%.
 These indicators reinforce Saudi Arabia’s growing global position in AI, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.