The Kingdom’s digital transformation showcased at Smart Data & AI Summit

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its journey toward becoming a global leader in digital innovation, the Smart Data & AI Summit will play a pivotal role…

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its journey toward becoming a global leader in digital innovation, the Smart Data & AI Summit will play a pivotal role in shaping the Kingdom’s data and AI landscape.

Scheduled for 5 – 6 May 2025 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Riyadh, this event will bring together 300+ data and AI professionals, including CDOs, CIOs, data scientists, AI directors, C-suite executives and many others, to explore the latest advances, tackle challenges, and unlock opportunities in data and artificial intelligence.

With the Kingdom’s data analytics market projected to reach $8.8 billion by 2030, the summit comes at an important time, offering a platform for public and private sector leaders to collaborate, innovate, and approach the nation’s Vision 2030 goals.

Building on the success of its debut last year, which was inaugurated by a leading official from the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the 2025 edition promises to be bigger and more impactful.

The summit’s agenda will look at important topics shaping the future of data and AI, including:

Discussions will be led by thought leaders from the Kingdom’s top organisations, including Ministry of Hajj & Umrah, Insurance Authority, Council of Health Insurance, NEOM, AlNASSR Club Company | PIF, and Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance.

The Data Management Association (DAMA Saudi Arabia), the Kingdom’s largest data management community, has joined the summit as a supporting partner. The partnership underscores DAMA’s commitment to fostering a robust data management ecosystem and aligns with the summit’s mission to elevate Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in data and AI.

Abdulaziz Almanea, Founder & Chairman of the Board, DAMA Saudi, spoke of the importance of the summit: “Artificial intelligence is only as good as the data behind it. Quality, governance, and ethics must come first to ensure trust, accuracy, and impact. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its data-driven transformation, industry events like the Smart Data & AI Summit serve as vital platforms for bringing experts together to shape the future of AI with responsible and innovative data practices.”

The inaugural edition of the summit set a high benchmark, with attendees praising the quality of speakers, depth of discussions, and opportunities for networking and collaboration. Nayef Al-Otaibi, VP & Chief Digital Officer at Saudi Aramco, said, “The event was well-managed, the coordination was excellent, and the quality of the speakers was above expectations. It was a beautiful experience connecting with industry experts during the panel discussions and sharing our experiences. This could basically help us establish the platform and collaborate and work together in future.”