{
  "id": 4438517,
  "title": "Saudi digital economy grows to SAR 522 billion, telecoms minister says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/saudi-digital-economy-grows-to-sar-522-billion-telecoms-minister-says",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T14:16:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ajel English",
    "slug": "ajel-english",
    "url": "https://english.ajel.sa/business/2402wxfwl"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Saudi Arabia's digital economy has experienced a remarkable surge, expanding from under 300 billion riyals to a substantial 522 billion riyals, representing an impressive growth of over 75 percent, according to Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha. Delivering this announcement during a government press conference organized by the Ministry of Media, Al-Swaha expressed the Kingdom's transformation into a technology exporter rather than a mere importer.\n\nThe minister emphasized the sector's expansion, noting that the digital job market now employs 410,000 individuals, underscoring Saudi Arabia's growing role in the global technology landscape. Al-Swaha further highlighted the establishment of more than 80 technology schools across the country, signaling a commitment to nurturing the future generation of tech professionals.\n\nIn terms of technological infrastructure, Saudi Arabia is making significant investments in data centers and fiber optics, with fiber optics now constituting 32 percent of the total usage. The minister also stressed the Kingdom's integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across both the public and private sectors, affirming Saudi Arabia's leading position in digital readiness on an international scale.\n\nAl-Swaha reported a substantial decline in the number of complaints, which have dropped to just 15 percent, and a narrowing of the service gap to a mere 5 percent over the last decade. Furthermore, the minister claimed that the Kingdom is now equipped to serve one billion customers in its primary market, a testament to the rapid advancements witnessed in the communications and technology sectors.",
  "summary": "Abdullah Al-Swaha says Saudi Arabia is now a technology exporter as digital jobs rise and complaints fall.",
  "key_points": [
    "Saudi digital economy grew to SAR 522 billion, a 75% increase",
    "Digital sector employs 410,000 people, boosting technology exports",
    "80 technology schools established, fostering future tech professionals"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}