AI in Education: A Comprehensive Transformation Driving Saudi Arabia Toward Global Leadership

Riyadh, July 29, 2026, SPA -- Saudi Arabia has achieved a remarkable transformation in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into education in less than two years. This has been reflected in making AI a mandatory subject across general education, training tens of thousands of teachers in the field, and establishing a national assessment and evaluation framework to measure performance and ensure quality.

International reports from the World Bank and specialized global organizations, supported by official data from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC), the Ministry of Education, and the Human Capability Development Program, one of the initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030, have highlighted the Kingdom's experience in integrating AI into education. The reports indicate that Saudi Arabia is among the countries well-positioned to lead this global transformation through an initiative that serves as a regional and international reference for advancing responsible innovation in AI-powered education.

Strategic Framework

The technological transformation in education is guided by the Human Capability Development Program through four strategic pillars: 'Identity Strengthened,' which reinforces values, national identity, and the Arabic language; 'Foundations Built,' which develops educational capabilities and future skills; 'Readiness Enhanced,' which aligns educational outcomes with labor market needs; and 'Leadership Renewed,' which promotes a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

During the 24th Government Press Conference in August 2025, Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan announced that more than 19 strategic objectives had been achieved, including curriculum development, teacher training, AI integration, and the expansion of technical and vocational training.

Student Development and Teacher Training

The AI curriculum, which benefits more than six million students across all levels of general education, follows a progressive educational approach. It begins by fostering awareness of the safe and ethical use of digital technologies, then gradually enables students to develop simple AI systems through age-appropriate programming environments.

Over the past year, more than 13,000 teachers received specialized training in AI and its applications. In addition, more than 470,000 trainees benefited from the National Institute for Educational Professional Development (NIEPD) platform, according to the Human Capability Development Program's annual report.

The Ministry of Education has also provided teachers with practical tools, including the Maaeen Educational Platform to assist with lesson planning, examinations, and classroom activities, the AI assistant integrated into the Madrasati Portal, and the Generative AI Usage Guide issued in coordination with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the National eLearning Center.
Through collaboration with the Ministry of Education, ETEC has gradually transformed the national assessment approach into a data-driven, evidence-based system. This includes the annual National Assessments for Schools (NAFS), which measure students' performance in mathematics, science, and reading.

Saudi students have achieved first place in the World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth (WAICY 2025) for two consecutive years. In addition, Qassim University won first place in the WSIS Prizes 2026 at the World Summit on the Information Society Forum in Switzerland for its AI-powered QSpark educational platform, which delivers an integrated digital learning experience.
The Human Capability Development Program's 2025 annual report showed that 79% of Saudi universities have incorporated technology and AI courses into their academic programs, while more than 30 universities have made AI a mandatory subject for all students, regardless of specialization.

Partnerships with six international universities have resulted in incubating and training 80 digital startups in Saudi Arabia, supporting 60 university-based startups through accelerator programs, and connecting them with more than 84 investment opportunities and funding entities.