{
  "id": 4459424,
  "title": "Saudi Arabia tops global digital readiness, tech sector jobs surge",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/saudi-arabia-tops-global-digital-readiness-tech-sector-jobs-surge",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-30T16:06:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ajel English",
    "slug": "ajel-english",
    "url": "https://english.ajel.sa/saudi-arabia/pqfkm96yw"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Saudi Arabia has emerged as the global leader in digital readiness, with the digital economy expanding to a staggering 522 billion riyals, according to Communications Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha. Speaking at a government press conference during the LEAP technology conference, Al-Swaha highlighted that the technology sector has seen a surge in jobs, increasing from 150,000 to 410,000 positions. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia has transitioned into a technology exporter, capable of serving a massive 1 billion customers within its primary market. The digital economy's growth rate exceeds 75%, marking a remarkable achievement. Al-Swaha pointed out that more than 80 technology schools across the Kingdom are producing a skilled workforce, training around 30,000 individuals in artificial intelligence. The LEAP conference, supported by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, has become the region's largest technology event, showcasing significant success stories and new projects in collaboration with global corporations, such as Microsoft's Azure cloud platform. Furthermore, the minister detailed the adoption of artificial intelligence solutions in both public and private sectors, alongside the introduction of specialized university programs aimed at bolstering technical competencies.",
  "summary": "Communications minister says Saudi Arabia leads the world in digital readiness as the digital economy grows to 522 billion riyals.",
  "key_points": [
    "Saudi Arabia leads global digital readiness with 522 billion riyals economy",
    "Technology sector jobs surge from 150k to 410k positions",
    "AI training for 30k individuals in 80 tech schools across Kingdom"
  ],
  "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."
}