AI adoption more than doubles in Saudi Arabia, reaching 45.2% of internet users

Saudi Arabia has witnessed a dramatic surge in artificial intelligence adoption, with nearly half of its internet users now engaging with AI tools. The fifth edition of the Saudi Internet Report reveals that 45.2% of internet users utilize AI, a figure more than double that of the previous year. This significant rise coincides with the Kingdom's declaration of 2026 as the "Year of Artificial Intelligence."

The report, published by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), highlights notable demographic differences in AI usage. Female internet users are more inclined to use AI tools, with adoption rates at 52.8% compared to 39.4% among males. The youngest age groups show the highest engagement: 55.7% of users aged 20 to 29 and 53.4% of those aged 10 to 19 reported using AI. Adoption rates decrease progressively with age, reaching 27.4% for those aged 50 to 59 and a mere 14.8% for individuals aged 60 to 74.

Geographically, the Tabuk region leads in AI tool usage with 58.5%, followed by the Eastern Province at 53.8%. Jazan reported the lowest adoption rate at 30.7%. When it comes to the specific applications of AI, searching for information is the most common use, cited by 80.8% of users. Generating ideas (40.1%) and study/education (37.7%) follow. Other uses include creating images, videos, and presentations (25.7%), language translation (25.1%), and work-related tasks (17.3%).

ChatGPT emerged as the most downloaded AI application in Saudi Arabia, with Google Gemini and DeepSeek also popular. The national platform HUMAIN also made the list. This rapid growth in AI adoption, coupled with expanding internet usage, which saw a 3.9 percentage point increase among those aged 60 to 74 in just one year, underscores Saudi Arabia's advancing digital landscape. These developments are supported by government and regulatory efforts to embrace best practices and align with global technological trends. The Kingdom's digital prowess is further validated by its first-place ranking globally in the 2025 Digital Readiness Index by the International Telecommunication Union.