Few countries have set themselves a transformation as ambitious as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. In less than a decade, the Kingdom has moved to build a diversified, technology-driven economy — and at the heart of that effort is a national commitment to make artificial intelligence and data core national capabilities. Contributing to that mission, in whatever way one can, is among the most meaningful work a technologist can do today.
Vision 2030 put technology at the centre
Saudi Arabia’s leadership made a deliberate choice: treat human capability and national platforms as strategic infrastructure, as important as any physical asset. The Kingdom has invested heavily in this vision — not only deploying technology, but developing the Saudi talent and the national systems that will sustain it for generations.
Technology leadership in service of the national vision
As a technology consultant in Saudi Arabia within SDAIA’s Academy & Capacity Building Sector, my work is to help deliver the platforms, credentials and standards that advance the Kingdom’s goals — and, above all, to help Saudi teams own and run them. National programmes such as SAMAI and AthkaX exist to equip Saudis with world-class AI skills; earlier crowd-management systems such as Tafweej serve the millions who come to the Kingdom for Hajj and Umrah. The measure of success in every case is the same: national capability that the Kingdom owns and operates itself.
Empowering Saudi talent is the goal
The most rewarding part of this work is that its entire purpose is to build people, not dependence. SAMAI’s ambition — a million Saudis skilled in AI — captures the philosophy perfectly: technology is the means, and empowered Saudi talent is the end. A national platform succeeds when a Saudi team can carry it forward with full ownership, and a credential succeeds when it gives a Saudi professional recognised, portable proof of capability.
Three lessons from building at national scale
First, credibility is earned in delivery: in a national programme, what counts is a platform that ships and works at scale in service of the Kingdom’s goals. Second, capability transfer is the mission, not an afterthought — document, mentor and design so national teams lead. Third, align to the national vision: the work that matters is the work that moves a Vision 2030 outcome forward.
A model the region is watching
Saudi Arabia’s approach — investing in national platforms and homegrown talent to build lasting, sovereign capability — is increasingly a model for the wider region. Being part of that journey, and seeing Saudi talent take the lead, is a privilege and a responsibility I do not take lightly.
Frequently asked questions
How does technology support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030?
Technology underpins Vision 2030 by building national platforms, AI capability and digital services that diversify the economy and equip Saudi talent — treating capability and data as strategic national infrastructure.
Dr Faizan Ur Rehman is a technology consultant to SDAIA and an applied AI researcher who has spent 18+ years building national platforms in Saudi Arabia. Explore the experience, the AI capability-building work, or the press coverage.