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

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has seen a sharp rise in the adoption of artificial intelligence tools, with 45.2 percent of internet users now using AI — more than double the rate recorded the previous year — according to the fifth edition of the Saudi Internet Report. The increase coincides with the Kingdom’s launch of the “Year of Artificial Intelligence 2026.” The report — issued by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) — showed differences in AI tool usage across demographic groups, with 52.8 percent of female internet users using AI tools compared with 39.4 percent of males. Usage was highest among those aged 20 to 29, at 55.7 percent, followed by those aged 10 to 19, at 53.4 percent. Adoption declined progressively with age, reaching 27.4 percent among those aged 50 to 59 and 14.8 percent among those aged 60 to 74. Across the Kingdom’s regions, Tabuk recorded the highest rate of AI tool usage at 58.5 percent, followed by the Eastern Province at 53.8 percent, while Jazan recorded the lowest rate at 30.7 percent. In terms of how AI tools are being used, searching for information ranked first at 80.8 percent, followed by generating ideas at 40.1 percent and study and education at 37.7 percent. Creating images, videos and presentations accounted for 25.7 percent, followed by language translation at 25.1 percent, while 17.3 percent used AI for work-related tasks. ChatGPT ranked as the most downloaded AI application in Saudi Arabia, followed by Google Gemini and DeepSeek, while the national HUMAIN platform was also included on the list. Internet usage among those aged 60 to 74 increased from 88.9 percent in 2024 to 92.8 percent in 2025, a rise of 3.9 percentage points in one year. The rapid growth in AI adoption and expanding internet usage reflect the continued development of Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape amid government and regulatory efforts to adopt best practices and keep pace with global technological developments. Saudi Arabia also ranked first globally in the International Telecommunication Union’s 2025 Digital Readiness Index, further strengthening its position in digital transformation regionally and globally.