Saudi Arabia’s AI economy grows 31% in 2026

Saudi Arabia recorded a 31% increase in commercial registrations for artificial intelligence activities, reaching 24,552 in 2026, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The ministry attributed the growth to expanding computer programming, information and communications activities, with 192,000 commercial registrations issued across the Kingdom since the beginning of 2026, as of September.

Logistics services registrations rose 25% to 32,154, while creative activities, arts and entertainment recorded a similar increase, reaching 8,650.

Cybersecurity registrations climbed 22% to 11,275, while those in the electronic games industry increased 24% to 977.

The Kingdom designated 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence to advance AI adoption and support the development of a data-driven economy.

The initiative builds on investments in AI infrastructure, including Humain, a Public Investment Fund company established in May 2025 to develop advanced AI technologies, data centres and cloud platforms.

In July, Humain partnered with Canada’s Cohere to develop large-scale AI infrastructure and enterprise and sovereign AI models, with deployment expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Commercial registrations for virtual and augmented reality technologies increased 21% to 13,853, while entertainment and gaming registrations rose 16% to 9,483.

Financial and insurance activities recorded 12% growth, reaching 16,950 registrations, while e-commerce registrations climbed 9% to 52,241.

Saudi Arabia’s total commercial registrations now exceed 1.9 million, including 1.3 million establishments, 599,000 limited liability companies, and 5,000 joint-stock companies.

According to the Kingdom’s 2025 Vision 2030 report, commercial registrations across AI, modern technology, the digital economy and entertainment increased from 14,163 in 2024 to 19,042 in 2025.