Saudi companies are seeing tangible returns from artificial intelligence as investment becomes more disciplined and workforce preparation gathers pace, according to a new SAP-commissioned YouGov survey of chief IT decision-makers in the Kingdom.
The research shows that AI is moving beyond experimentation and into mainstream business use. Half of respondents said their AI initiatives are exceeding expectations, while a further 41% said returns are meeting expectations. At the same time, 59% said their organisation prioritises AI investments strategically and enterprise-wide. Together, the findings suggest that organisations in Saudi Arabia are increasingly focused on delivering measurable outcomes from AI through more structured, business-led adoption.
Ahmed AlFaifi, Managing Director and Senior Vice President of SAP Middle East Africa – North, said: “Enterprises in the Kingdom are increasingly looking for AI that delivers relevant business outcomes, supports more reliable decision-making, and can scale responsibly across the enterprise. What stands out in these findings is that companies are combining disciplined investment with workforce preparation, which is essential if AI is to create lasting value within everyday business processes.”
The survey also highlights the extent to which companies are preparing their workforce for the next phase of AI adoption. More than half of respondents said their organisations are upskilling or reskilling employees at scale, at 54%, while 52% are rolling out targeted training for specific roles and 53% are hiring new AI-related talent. This reflects growing recognition that long-term value depends not only on technology adoption, but on equipping employees to use AI effectively in their daily roles.
The findings point to a maturing market in which Saudi organisations are becoming more deliberate both in how they invest in AI and in how they prepare employees to work with it. That combination is helping move AI from isolated initiatives toward broader business impact across the enterprise.
Alfaifi concludes that the findings reflect continued momentum across the Kingdom as organisations expand their use of AI to support productivity, faster decision-making, and workforce readiness in line with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic ambitions.
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