Cabinet designates 2026 as Saudi Arabia's 'Year of Artificial Intelligence'
By Cicada DeskEvent date: 1 min read
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In brief
The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by video conference on Tuesday 10 March 2026, designated 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence.
The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by video conference on Tuesday 10 March 2026, designated 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence. The initiative is organized around six pillars: aspiration, skills, policies, investment, innovation and ecosystem growth, with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) leading the shift from strategy to large-scale implementation.
Cited year-to-date moves included a national AI workforce program, a mandatory university AI curriculum, the Hexagon data center, Aramco Digital's 450 MHz industrial network and accession to the Global Partnership on AI.
Key figures
- 6pillars
Sources
This report is compiled from the sources below. Cicada links to every source we rely on.
- 1Saudi designates 2026 as Year of Artificial Intelligence Middle East AI News · 10 Mar 2026
- 2Saudi Arabia designates 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence Arab News
Archive report. Written in 2026 from contemporary sources and dated to the day the event happened.
Cite this story
Cicada Desk. "Cabinet designates 2026 as Saudi Arabia's 'Year of Artificial Intelligence'". Cicada, 10 March 2026. https://cicadaconsultancy.online/en/news/year-of-ai-2026-cabinet
Free to quote and reuse with attribution under CC BY 4.0.
