GASTAT reports 33.1% establishments used AI

Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) reports that 33.1% of the Kingdom's business establishments used AI technologies during 2025, up from 27.6% in 2024 - a roughly 20% relative increase year on year. The data comes from GASTAT's ICT Access and Usage Survey, conducted under methodology aligned with UNCTAD international standards to ensure cross-country comparability.

The information and communications sector recorded the highest AI uptake at 61.1%, followed by financial and insurance activities at 52.9% and education at 51%. Transportation and storage came in at 44.4%, with professional activities at 43.9%. The nearly 30-percentage-point spread between the ICT sector and the national average highlights uneven AI maturity across the Saudi economy.

AI adoption sits within a wider digital transformation picture. According to GASTAT, 98.1% of establishments had internet access and 93.2% used e-government services. Cloud computing is now used by 51.3% of establishments - with cloud office software at 56.4% (up 5.4% from 2024) and cloud email at 55.3% (up 9.9%). IoT adoption for building security reached 71.4%. E-commerce activity also grew: 33.5% of establishments used the internet to sell or display goods, led by the financial and insurance sector at 48.5%.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative has made digital transformation a national priority, making this annual survey a key policy reference. For AI and data practitioners tracking Gulf-region adoption, the sector-level breakdown offers granularity rarely available at the national level across MENA markets. GASTAT stated the survey methodology is "aligned with international standards set by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, ensuring data quality and international comparability."