Chief Strategy Officer of the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) Abdullah Alkhodairi said Saudi Arabia is moving toward adopting an AI-first approach as he opened the third day of DeepFest 2026, held alongside LEAP 2026. Alkhodairi said Saudi Arabia is ushering in a new phase in which AI is considered from the outset when designing services and products. This approach helps boost productivity, improve quality and resource efficiency, and deliver better outcomes for society and the economy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. Alkhodairi said the designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence has set a clear direction for Saudi Arabia to make AI a powerful driver of development, competitiveness, and innovation. He noted that more than 80% of employees covered by Stanford University’s latest AI Index Report in Saudi Arabia regularly use AI in their daily work. This means the challenge is shifting from raising awareness and encouraging experimentation to turning this widespread adoption into sustainable institutional value. Alkhodairi said an AI-first approach does not mean using AI everywhere or putting technology ahead of people, but rather “putting value before technology,” applying AI where it offers a genuine advantage and choosing the most appropriate solution when AI is not the best option.
