AI regulation in Saudi Arabia: laws & policy (2026)

Legal framework

Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), non-binding AI Ethics Principles and Generative AI Guidelines, underpinned by the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL); no comprehensive AI-specific statute in force.

Key points: artificial intelligence in Saudi Arabia

1. 01AI Ethics Principles (voluntary)

   SDAIA's 'Principles and Controls of AI Ethics,' first issued in 2023 with an updated 2025 version, set out seven core principles (fairness; privacy & security; humanity; social & environmental benefits; reliability & safety; transparency & explainability; accountability) and a risk-based classification model across the AI lifecycle. They are guidance, not enforceable law.

   sdaia.gov.sa dataguidance.com

2. 02Generative AI Guidelines

   SDAIA published two non-binding Generative AI Guidelines, one for government employees and one for the public, covering responsible use, transparency, content authenticity/watermarking, human oversight, and risk management, aligned with the PDPL.

   sdaia.gov.sa sdaia.gov.sa

3. 03PDPL as binding legal base

   The Personal Data Protection Law and its Implementing Regulations came into force on 14 September 2023 (full compliance required from 14 September 2024). It is enforced by SDAIA and regulates AI-relevant matters including automated decision-making, requiring legal basis/consent and addressing cross-border transfers.

   clydeco.com morganlewis.com

4. 04SDAIA as central authority

   SDAIA (established 2019) is the national authority responsible for data and AI policy, strategy, ethics, and PDPL enforcement, consolidating AI governance rather than dispersing it across sectoral regulators.

   sdaia.gov.sa my.gov.sa

5. 05No comprehensive AI statute yet

   Legal analyses confirm Saudi Arabia currently has no AI-specific binding law and no formally announced legislative process to enact one; governance relies on voluntary SDAIA instruments plus existing data-protection and cybersecurity rules.

   cms.law twobirds.com

6. 06AI Adoption Framework & strategy

   SDAIA's AI Adoption Framework (2024) outlines maturity levels and enablers (data, technology, human capabilities, responsible use) to operationalize AI uptake under the National Strategy for Data & AI, reinforcing a guidance-led national approach.

   sdaia.gov.sa my.gov.sa

Timeline of decisions

1. 10 Mar 2026Decision · official
   Saudi Cabinet Declares 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence

   The Saudi Cabinet officially designated 2026 as the 'Year of Artificial Intelligence,' with SDAIA issuing a national coordination framework on 26 March to align government, private, and non-profit entities across six pillars: ambition, competencies, policies, investment, innovation, and ecosystem. The declaration coincides with Saudi Arabia ranking 14th in the 2025 Global AI Index and hosting the fourth GAIN Summit.

   Saudi Press Agency (SPA)

2. 12 May 2025Decision · official
   Crown Prince Launches HUMAIN, Saudi National AI Company Under PIF

   Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched HUMAIN, a Public Investment Fund (PIF)-owned full-stack AI company covering data centres, cloud infrastructure, frontier models (including an Arabic-language LLM), and applications. Concurrent partnerships include a $10 billion agreement with AMD to deliver 500 MW of AI compute capacity over five years.

   Public Investment Fund (PIF)

3. 14 Apr 2025Guidance
   CST Publishes Draft Global AI Hub Law Introducing Data Embassies

   The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) put out a draft Global AI Hub Law, the first among G20 nations, creating a legal framework for 'data embassies': sovereign data centres where foreign governments and companies host data and operate under their own home-country law within Saudi territory. Public consultation closed 14 May 2025.

   Bird & Bird (citing CST consultation)

4. 1 Jan 2025Guidance · official
   SDAIA Releases AI Ethics Principles Version 2.0

   SDAIA published a substantially upgraded ethics framework introducing a four-tier risk classification (unacceptable / high / limited / minimal), explicit prohibitions on unacceptable-risk AI systems, a voluntary compliance-badge scheme, and a mandatory Responsible AI Officer role, the first document in Saudi AI governance to categorically ban specific AI applications.

   SDAIA

5. 1 Sept 2024Guidance · official
   SDAIA Issues Deepfakes Guidelines and AI Adoption Framework

   Launched at the third GAIN Summit in Riyadh, the Deepfakes Guidelines impose disclosure, watermarking, and provenance-tracking obligations on synthetic-media creators and platforms, while the AI Adoption Framework defines four AI-maturity levels (with enablers across data, technology, human capability, and responsible use) to guide phased AI implementation across organisations.

   Saudi Press Agency (SPA)

6. 11 Jan 2024Guidance
   SDAIA Publishes Dual Generative AI Guidelines

   SDAIA issued two parallel sets of Generative AI Guidelines: one for government entities (covering risk classification, data-handling rules, human-oversight triggers, and bias testing) and one for the general public (covering fairness, privacy, and deepfake risks). These are the Kingdom's first dedicated regulatory instruments specifically addressing large language models and generative AI.

   Digital Policy Alert (citing SDAIA)

7. 1 Sept 2023Guidance
   SDAIA Publishes AI Ethics Principles Version 1.0

   SDAIA issued the Kingdom's first formal national AI ethics framework, establishing seven core principles (fairness, privacy, transparency, accountability, reliability, humanity, and social/environmental benefit), a risk-tiering system, and governance requirements including an ethics committee and Responsible AI Officer. Non-binding in isolation, it is enforced indirectly through the PDPL and government-procurement conditions.

   Digital Policy Alert (citing SDAIA)

8. 21 Oct 2020Guidance · official
   National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence (NSDAI) Launched

   SDAIA unveiled the Kingdom's first integrated national AI strategy at the inaugural Global AI Summit in Riyadh, setting a three-phase roadmap: address national urgencies by 2025, build competitive advantage in AI-intensive sectors by 2030, and become a global AI exporter thereafter. The NSDAI underpins 66 of Vision 2030's 96 goals and remains the governing strategic document for all Saudi AI activity.

   SDAIA

9. 30 Aug 2019Decision · official
   Royal Order A/471 Establishes SDAIA as Saudi Arabia's AI Apex Authority

   King Salman issued Royal Order No. A/471 creating the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), reporting directly to the Prime Minister, with two subsidiaries: the National Data Management Office (NDMO) for data regulation and the National Center for AI (NCAI) for research and adoption. This single decree established the institutional architecture that drives all subsequent Saudi AI policy and regulation.

   SDAIA

Sources

1. 1.sdaia.gov.sa/en/SDAIA/about/Documents/ai-principles.pdf
2. 2.sdaia.gov.sa/en/SDAIA/about/Files/GenAIGuidelinesForGovernmentENCompressed.pdf
3. 3.sdaia.gov.sa/en/SDAIA/about/Files/GenerativeAIPublicEN.pdf
4. 4.sdaia.gov.sa/en/SDAIA/about/Pages/RegulationsAndPolicies.aspx
5. 5.my.gov.sa/en/content/109729
6. 6.dataguidance.com/news/saudi-arabia-sdaia-publishes-ai-ethics-principles
7. 7.clydeco.com/en/insights/2024/09/saudi-arabia-s-personal-data-protection-law-becom
8. 8.morganlewis.com/pubs/2024/09/saudi-arabia-personal-data-protection-law-transition-per
9. 9.cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/ai-regulation-scanner/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia
10. 10.twobirds.com/en/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/ai-legal-services/ai-regulato