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The Ministry of Commerce’s Q3 2026 Business Sector Bulletin placed the number of existing commercial registrations for artificial intelligence technologies at 24,693 at the end of the period. That figure represented a 31 percent increase from 18,846 registrations recorded in the third quarter of 2025. The ministry issued more than 50,000 commercial registrations during the quarter overall with more than 30 percent of those issued to companies. Riyadh led regional totals with 15,138 AI registrations.
Riyadh accounted for the largest share of AI registrations with 15,138. It was followed by Makkah with 4,804 the Eastern Province with 2,561 Madinah with 826 and Qassim with 365 according to the ministry data. The concentration in these areas aligns with broader patterns of economic activity across the Kingdom where technology adoption has accelerated in recent years.
Cloud computing registrations climbed 35 percent to more than 7,000 while cybersecurity registrations advanced 22 percent to more than 11,000 the bulletin showed. These increases occurred alongside the AI growth as businesses seek infrastructure to support new applications. The ministry attributed the expansion in technology sectors to rising interest in computer programming and information and communications activities.
The ministry first reported AI registrations reaching 24,552 in September. That made AI the fastest-growing sector among those highlighted under Vision 2030. Earlier data from the ministry showed the number stood at 19,638 at the end of 2025.
The figures demonstrate continued momentum since 2021 when AI-related registrations totaled only 5,762 according to historical ministry records. The growth coincides with the government’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. The initiative aims to coordinate national efforts to promote AI adoption and foster a data-driven economy the ministry has stated in previous announcements.
In a related development the Ministry of Commerce became the first government entity to adopt NVIDIA’s B300 AI suite to enhance its services and decision-making processes. The bulletin noted this step as part of broader digital transformation efforts. Total commercial registrations across all sectors in the Kingdom exceeded 1.9 million by the end of the third quarter.
