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The Communications, Space and Technology Commission has detailed how artificial intelligence adoption among Saudi internet users more than doubled over the past year to reach 45.2 percent according to its fifth Saudi Internet Report released in July 2026. The commission’s figures show female users adopting the technology at a rate of 52.8 percent compared with 39.4 percent for males. Adoption peaked at 55.7 percent among those aged 20 to 29 while those aged 60 to 74 showed the lowest participation at 14.8 percent. The report further highlighted regional differences with Tabuk recording the highest rate at 58.5 percent and Jazan the lowest at 30.7 percent.
Information search emerged as the dominant use case for AI tools at 80.8 percent of users the CST report indicated. Idea generation stood at 40.1 percent with education applications following at 37.7 percent according to the commission’s data. Additional prominent uses encompassed image and video creation along with translation and professional task assistance. These patterns demonstrate the broad incorporation of AI into daily activities for a substantial portion of the population the report concluded.
ChatGPT led in downloads among AI applications in the Kingdom the commission reported with Google Gemini and DeepSeek placing second and third while the Saudi HUMAIN platform gained significant traction. The rankings reflect user interest in both established global platforms and emerging local solutions. The release of the findings coincides with the Kingdom’s designation of 2026 as the Year of AI to boost innovation and integration of the technology.
Overall internet usage continued to expand with the CST assessment showing the proportion of online users aged 60 to 74 increasing from 88.9 percent in 2024 to 92.8 percent in 2025. The report placed national internet penetration at near universal levels supporting the environment for rapid AI uptake. Saudi Arabia achieved first place in the International Telecommunication Union’s 2025 Digital Readiness Index with a score of 94 out of 100 the commission noted. This ranking represents an improvement from the previous year and underscores progress in digital infrastructure development.
A MarketsandMarkets study projected the Saudi Arabian artificial intelligence market to expand from 2.14 billion U.S. dollars in 2025 to 16.9 billion by 2032 registering a compound annual growth rate of 34.3 percent. Such forecasts align with the adoption momentum captured in the CST report and national efforts under Vision 2030 to diversify the economy through advanced technologies. The commission’s work tracks these developments as part of ongoing monitoring of the country’s digital transformation.
The Saudi Internet Report 2025 also indicated that 61.3 percent of internet users spend seven hours or more online daily. Average monthly mobile data usage reached 53 gigabytes per user while median mobile internet speeds stood at 216 megabits per second according to the commission. These metrics provide the foundation for the high level of AI engagement observed across demographic groups in the latest findings.
