Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia has achieved remarkable milestones in the fields of digital economy, artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and digital government as part of the targets set by Vision 2030, solidifying its position as a regional and global digital powerhouse.

According to the “Vision 2030 Annual Report 2024”, the Saudi digital economy reached around SAR 495 billion ($132 billion) in 2024, contributing 15% to the national gross domestic product (GDP).

The information and communication technology (ICT) market also continued its momentum, surpassing $180 billion ($48 billion) by 2024, driven by the expansion of private sector investments and the growing culture of innovation, thereby consolidating its position as the largest technology market in the region.

Additionally, the Kingdom injected strategic investment of around SAR 55 billion ($14.6 billion) in AI and data centers. Backed by these investments, Saudi Arabia saw a 42% increase in data centers' capacity during 2023, reaching 290.5 megawatts, strengthening the readiness of its digital infrastructure to accommodate the expanding demand for cloud services and smart applications.

Fiber-optic network coverage also expanded to reach over 3.9 million homes, while internet penetration across the Kingdom climbed to nearly 99%, placing Saudi Arabia among the most connected nations globally.

Regarding human capital development, Saudi Arabia has reinforced its position as the region’s largest digital talent cluster, creating over 381,000 quality jobs in the technology sector. This advancement significantly boosted the participation of women in the technology sector to 35% in 2024, compared to 7% in 2018.

It is worth noting that the Kingdom has almost achieved 93% of Vision 2030 goals since its launch nine years ago.