As a cornerstone of its Vision 2030 strategy, Saudi Arabia is accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence into the national education system, placing advanced technology at the center of curriculum reform and digital skills development. The initiative aims to position the Kingdom as a regional leader in digital capability and AI-powered innovation.
The Kingdom plans to equip its more than 6 million general education students with critical AI-related skills by 2025. This ambitious goal involves embedding artificial intelligence across all learning pathways, starting from an early stage to foster a new generation of tech-savvy talent.
A Coordinated National Effort
Launched in 2025, the program is a coordinated national effort between the National Centre for Curriculum, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). This collaboration ensures a unified approach to embedding AI into the educational fabric of the nation.
The initiative was highlighted during the International Conference on Data and AI Capacity Building, hosted by SDAIA in Riyadh, where government and industry leaders showcased progress and outlined the roadmap for scaling AI education nationwide.
Empowering Students and Educators
The program is designed not only to teach students how to use AI tools but also to create AI-driven learning experiences within the classroom. AI applications are being deployed to support both students and educators, with tools assisting teachers in lesson planning and curriculum design.
This dual approach aims to personalize learning for students while improving instructional efficiency for teachers, creating a more dynamic and effective educational environment.
Building Real-World Competence
Bedour Alrayes, Deputy CEO of the Human Capability Development Program under Vision 2030, emphasized that the initiative is focused on practical application over theoretical knowledge.
“Integrating AI into everyday learning is intended to build confidence and real-world competence among students,” she noted, highlighting the goal of preparing students for the future workforce.
Private Sector Support
The national agenda is being bolstered by parallel efforts in the private sector. Technology companies are expanding training initiatives to support the Kingdom’s goals, with IBM reporting that it has already trained 500,000 individuals in AI-related skills. The company aims to train a total of 1 million Saudis by 2030, aligning with the nation’s broader strategy to strengthen its digital economy and cultivate homegrown expertise.
About the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA)
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) was established in 2019 to be the national authority on data and AI in the Kingdom. SDAIA’s mandate is to unlock the value of data as a national asset to realize Vision 2030’s aspirations by setting the national data and AI strategy and overseeing its execution through data sharing, capacity building, and innovation.
Source: MEA TechWatch
