Saudi Arabia Minister of Education and King Saud University Board Chairman Yousef Al-Benyan and Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority President Dr Abdullah Alghamdi have launched the SAMAI 2 initiative in partnership with 11 government ministries. The announcement was made during the International Conference on Data and AI Capacity Building at King Saud University in Riyadh.
The initiative aims to empower the workforce in targeted government sectors to adopt AI technologies, increase productivity and enhance workplace efficiency through specialised training and awareness programmes.
Building on SAMAI 1 National Training Success
The new initiative builds on the success of SAMAI 1, which empowered more than 1.1 million Saudi citizens with training and accredited certifications last year. SAMAI 2 will focus on building AI literacy and capacity in government ministries including health, finance, media, justice, industry and mineral resources, transport and logistics, education, human resources and social development, municipalities and housing, sport, and energy.
The first edition of SAMAI marked a significant milestone for the national AI strategy, helping improve AI literacy across the Kingdom through a public education and training programme. SAMAI 2 is expected to bring similar transformation to the government workforce. Saudi Arabia’s public sector employs approximately 1.2 million people. Increasing AI literacy across a substantial portion of this workforce is expected to generate both immediate and long-term impact on productivity and efficiency.
Announcement Made During ICAN 2026 Conference
The initiative was introduced during ICAN 2026 at King Saud University in Riyadh, held under the theme “The future of education and work in the AI era”. The minister and SDAIA president presented the SAMAI 2 charter to assembled government officials during the event. The initiative focuses on helping employees across ministries adopt AI solutions through sector-specific applications and specialised training designed to support workplace transformation.
SDAIA’s Role in Saudi Arabia’s AI Strategy
SAMAI empowered more than 1.1 million Saudi citizens with high-quality training and accredited certifications during 2025, representing an unprecedented national achievement, accomplished in record time and with 52 per cent female participation.
Established by Royal Order in 2019, SDAIA serves as the competent authority concerned with data and artificial intelligence including big data, and is directly linked to the Prime Minister. SDAIA operates with legal standing and financial and administrative independence, with sub-entities including National Data Management Office, National Center for AI and National Information Center all organisationally linked to the authority.
Nationwide AI Education Driving Workforce Transformation
Saudi Arabia’s first nationwide AI training programme SAMAI reached its target of training more than one million Saudi citizens in November 2025, with 52 per cent female and 48 per cent male participants. The One Million Saudis in AI initiative was developed by SDAIA in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Employees accounted for 70 per cent of participants, while students represented 30 per cent, reflecting a whole-of-society approach targeting citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds. Final results released by SDAIA confirmed that 1.1 million Saudi citizens were trained through the programme last year.
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