Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to expand women’s participation in artificial intelligence through state-led reforms and private sector initiatives tied to Vision 2030, as officials and industry leaders point to rapid gains in training, workforce inclusion and investment in emerging technologies.

Government-backed programs and institutional reforms have supported a sharp rise in female participation in technical education and the labor market, with policymakers framing gender inclusion as central to economic diversification.

According to Areeb Alowisheq, vice president of AI research at Humain, the Kingdom has achieved the highest global female-to-male ratio in AI training, reflecting what she described as a long-term policy focus on education and workforce development.

Alowisheq said the current expansion builds on decades of public investment in education, including overseas scholarship programs. Since 2005, the King Abdullah Scholarship Program has funded more than 250,000 Saudi citizens to study abroad, contributing to a skilled workforce across science and engineering disciplines.

Domestic institutions have also played a central role. Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, described as the world’s largest women’s university, has produced graduates in science, technology, engineering and medicine for decades.

By 2017, female university graduates in Saudi Arabia outnumbered male graduates, according to Alowisheq.She linked these educational gains to structural reforms introduced under Vision 2030, launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The program set a target to increase women’s workforce participation from 22 percent to 30 percent, alongside regulatory changes aimed at reducing barriers to employment.

These measures included lifting the ban on women driving in 2017, introducing workplace anti-harassment laws and amending the Civil Status Law to allow women to manage businesses, travel independently and act as heads of households.

Female labor force participation exceeded 36 percent by 2025, surpassing the initial target ahead of schedule, according to data cited by Alowisheq.

Saudi authorities have paired these reforms with targeted investment in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Government spending on emerging technologies rose by more than 56 percent in 2024, while AI-focused companies secured $9.1 billion in funding, reflecting increased activity across the sector.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has played a central role in scaling training programs and institutional capacity. In collaboration with Google Cloud, it launched the Elevate Initiative in 2022, a five-year program aimed at training more than 25,000 women in emerging markets in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Saudi Arabia has also expanded its international engagement in the field. It became the first Arab country to join the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence and hosts the UNESCO-backed International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics in Riyadh, positioning itself within global governance frameworks for emerging technologies.

Training volumes have increased sharply. According to the 2025 AI Index published by Stanford University, more than 666,000 women in Saudi Arabia received training in data and artificial intelligence within a single year. The report ranked the Kingdom first globally in women’s AI empowerment based on participation metrics.

Alowisheq said the scale of training is critical to building an ecosystem capable of supporting adoption and innovation. She described the expansion as creating a base of skilled users and professionals able to integrate artificial intelligence into economic activity

.Alowisheq, who has more than two decades of experience in the sector, said her own career path reflects changes in access and opportunity over time. After completing undergraduate studies in computer applications at King Saud University and pursuing graduate work focused on networking and distributed systems, she said early gaps in AI education motivated her to pursue the field independently.

She now leads initiatives focused on developing Arabic-language AI models, part of broader efforts to localize technology and expand regional capabilities. Within her organization, she said women and men work under equal expectations, reflecting changes in workplace participation following regulatory reforms.

Saudi Arabia’s push to expand women’s participation in artificial intelligence also addresses a broader global imbalance. Data from UNESCO and UN Women indicate that women account for about 22 percent of professional roles in the sector worldwide.Officials and industry participants have framed Saudi Arabia’s approach as a response to both domestic economic priorities and international benchmarks on gender inclusion.

By linking workforce reforms with sector-specific investment, policymakers aim to align labor market participation with growth in high-technology industries.

Alowisheq said the integration of women into the AI workforce reflects a convergence of economic and social policy objectives. She noted that expanding access to education, removing structural barriers and scaling training programs have contributed to measurable increases in participation across both public and private sectors.

The Kingdom’s strategy combines regulatory reform, education investment and international collaboration, with implementation led by government institutions and supported by private sector partnerships.

Officials have emphasized that workforce development remains central to sustaining growth in artificial intelligence and related industries.

The initiative aims to empower national talent with world-class expertise in generative artificial intelligence, strengthening the country’s position in the global AI landscape.

The program is designed to give participants a deep understanding of how modern language models are built, trained, and refined.

Through hands-on sessions, trainees learn to develop advanced AI applications that can support innovation in various sectors, from business and education to healthcare and digital services.

This initiative reflects a growing national commitment to nurturing specialized skills that align with global technological trends.

By offering intensive training in cutting-edge AI techniques, the academy is helping create a new generation of professionals capable of driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation.

The training also supports participants in advancing their professional careers by preparing them for internationally recognized certifications.

A key component of the program is its preparation for the NVIDIA-Certified Associate: Generative AI LLMs exam, which signals high-level competence in the field of generative AI.

With a duration of four weeks, the program is tailored for professionals eager to upskill, as well as individuals aspiring to enter the AI sector.

It offers a comprehensive learning experience that combines theoretical foundations with real-world application.

Participants gain practical knowledge that enables them to build and customize language models, an essential ability as generative AI continues to reshape global industries.

This hands-on approach ensures that trainees not only learn concepts but also apply them to develop robust, impactful solutions.

The academy emphasized its ongoing dedication to providing high-quality education in emerging technologies.

This commitment aligns with the Kingdom’s broader vision of establishing a strong and sustainable AI ecosystem that supports long-term national development.

In addition to technical instruction, the program fosters a culture of creativity and critical thinking.

Trainees are encouraged to explore new ideas, experiment with advanced tools, and create applications that contribute to the country’s expanding digital economy.

As generative AI becomes a significant driver of global innovation, this program provides national talent with the skills needed to compete on an international level.

It positions participants to take on specialized roles in research, development, and AI-driven industries.

The initiative also serves as a catalyst for strengthening the Kingdom’s knowledge economy.

By developing homegrown expertise, it reduces reliance on external resources and builds a strong foundation for technological self-sufficiency.

The SDAIA Academy continues to demonstrate leadership in equipping the nation with future-ready capabilities.

Its programs are structured to meet global standards while remaining aligned with national priorities and industry needs.

Registration for the program is open to individuals with a strong interest in generative AI and a desire to contribute to the Kingdom’s AI ecosystem.

The academy encourages applicants from diverse professional backgrounds to participate and take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Through such forward-looking initiatives, the Kingdom continues to enhance its role as a regional and global hub for artificial intelligence.

This program marks another step toward fostering a skilled workforce capable of creating meaningful, transformative AI solutions.

As the demand for advanced AI skills rises worldwide, the launch of this training program highlights the Kingdom’s proactive investment in human capital.

It strengthens the foundations of innovation and supports the nation’s vision for a technologically empowered future.