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

RIYADH — In Saudi Arabia, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has surged by more than double to 45.2% of internet users, according to the fifth edition of the Saudi Internet Report. This significant increase corresponds with the Kingdom's launch of the "Year of Artificial Intelligence 2026." The report, released by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), reveals disparities in AI tool usage across various demographic groups.

Notably, 52.8% of female internet users employ AI tools compared to 39.4% of males, while the usage rate peaks among users aged 20 to 29 at 55.7%, followed by those aged 10 to 19 at 53.4%. As users age, adoption decreases, reaching 27.4% among those aged 50 to 59 and 14.8% among those aged 60 to 74. Tabuk leads regional adoption with 58.5%, followed by the Eastern Province at 53.8%, while Jazan has the lowest usage at 30.7%.

The primary uses of AI tools include searching for information (80.8%), generating ideas (40.1%), and education (37.7%). Creating visual content like images and videos, as well as presentations, accounts for 25.7%. Language translation represents 25.1% of usage, while 17.3% of users apply AI for work-related tasks. ChatGPT is the most downloaded AI app in Saudi Arabia, followed by Google Gemini and DeepSeek, with the national HUMAIN platform also included.

Concurrently, internet usage among the 60 to 74 age group rose from 88.9% in 2024 to 92.8% in 2025, marking a 3.9 percentage point increase in a single year. This rapid growth in AI adoption and internet usage underscores Saudi Arabia's ongoing digital transformation efforts driven by government and regulatory initiatives to align with global technological advancements.

The nation also secured the top spot globally in the International Telecommunication Union's 2025 Digital Readiness Index, reinforcing its leadership in digital innovation both regionally and internationally.