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In a significant leap forward for the digital future of the Middle East, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are now among the top 20 countries in the world for AI talent. The Global AI Competitiveness Index by Deep Knowledge Group and International Finance Forum ranks the UAE in 16th place with 0.7% of global AI talent. Saudi Arabia is ranked 19th in the world, which puts it ahead of Italy and Russia.
This leap signals a much more profound transformation. These countries are no longer just investing in artificial intelligence; they're transforming into ecosystems where world-class talent prefers to settle and establish a career.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is not just a scheme but a mission to be ranked among the top 10 AI-powered economies. The Kingdom, endowed with $20 billion of capital to be deployed for AI development, is moving quickly and ambitiously toward its goal of delivering 200,000 high-tech jobs.
Some bold moves are driving this momentum:
Establishing SDAIA, a central authority
Funding 98% of AI projects directly
Offering median salaries of $420,000
Launching the futuristic city of NEOM with liberal work laws and tech hubs
A Saudi official shared, "The Kingdom's goal is to be a magnet for global AI talent, not just in labs but across industries." The strategy appears to work, with 65% of Saudi Arabia's AI professionals being foreign nationals.
At KAUST University, $800,000 is invested each year for a researcher, the most significant amount that any other institution can offer, including MIT. Beyond this, there is a further level to the program, forming partnerships with institutions such as Stanford and implementing talent programs like `10,000 Coders,' which sends young Saudis to Silicon Valley.
In its subliminal bid for scale, Saudi Arabia is striving to score on precision against the UAE. Ranking number one in AI talent share, the country opposes setting an AI-first society in the Arab world. Its approach covers:
Fintech innovation
Smart governance
Public service automation
Block-chain integration
Having a density of over 2,100 AI persons per million population in the UAE, this is among the very highest densities found in any country, including the best tech nations. Cities like Dubai already use facial recognition for security and chatbots for public queries.
A UAE government official noted, "We aim for quality over quantity—each AI project should solve a real-world problem."
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are joining the AI race and helping redefine it. Their purpose-driven investments, international partnerships, and pro-technology policies create a position of leadership regionally and globally.
By balancing ambition and strategy, both countries are showing us that building an AI-powered future is not just a possibility; it is happening.
