Cultural Development Fund launches AI incentives for cultural projects

The Cultural Development Fund, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Quality of Life Program, has introduced AI Incentives for Cultural Projects. This joint initiative with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is part of the Vision 2030 program, aiming to support cultural projects through AI integration.

This marks the initial track of the Nama Incentives, designed to bolster cultural projects in critical areas aligned with national goals, focusing on growth, innovation, economic, and social impact, and sustainability. The program targets micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the cultural sector, offering financial incentives of up to 500,000 riyals for developing and implementing AI-based solutions.

The initiative covers six key areas, including creativity, heritage preservation, content enrichment, cultural experience enhancement, project management, and intellectual property governance. These AI Incentives for Cultural Projects align with the Year of Artificial Intelligence and build upon a tripartite agreement involving the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Development Fund, and SDAIA.

This agreement seeks to promote advanced technology adoption in the cultural sector, enhance operational efficiency, boost competitiveness, and develop culturally relevant products and services to prepare the sector for future demands. Majid bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hogail, CEO of the Cultural Development Fund, emphasized that the AI Incentives reflect a strategic direction to empower the cultural sector with advanced technologies, fostering innovation, improving productivity, and enhancing the cultural sector's role in the creative economy, in line with Vision 2030 objectives.

Applications for the AI Incentives open today and close on September 29, 2026, with more information available on the Cultural Development Fund's website.