Zubaida Trail was once an important route for Hajj pilgrims traveling through the Qassim region on their journey from Kufa in Iraq to Makkah.
Also known as Al-Kufi pilgrimage route, it stretches for more than 1,400 kilometers in the Kingdom and passes through the Northern Borders Region, Hail, Qassim, Madinah and Makkah.
The trail was named after Zubaydah bin Jafar, wife of Abbasid Caliph Harun Al-Rashid, in recognition of her charitable work, including the number of rest stations she ordered to be established along the route.
Al-Jufinah Lake, which is an important archaeological site, can be found in the western section of the trail.
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Zubaida Trail, located in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim region
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Zubaida Trail, located in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim region
- Al-Jufinah Lake, which is an important archaeological site, can be found in the western section of the trail
Saudi Arabia emerges as regional leader in government AI
- Saudi Arabia also placed seventh globally in the governance pillar and ninth worldwide for public-sector AI adoption
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has topped the Middle East and North Africa in the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2025, underlining the Kingdom’s rapid progress in adopting artificial intelligence across government services, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The index, one of the world’s leading benchmarks for artificial intelligence policy and regulatory planning, assesses the ability of 195 governments to deploy and leverage AI in public policy.
It evaluates performance across governance, infrastructure and institutional readiness.
Saudi Arabia also placed seventh globally in the governance pillar and ninth worldwide for public-sector AI adoption, highlighting balanced development across both regulatory frameworks and practical implementation.
The strong showing reflects the maturity of the Kingdom’s national AI ecosystem and its growing role in promoting the responsible use of advanced technologies to improve government efficiency, enhance quality of life and support the objectives of Vision 2030, SPA added.
The achievement comes amid continued backing for the Saudi Data and AI Authority from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also chairman of SDAIA’s board of directors, enabling sustained investment in data-driven capabilities and AI innovation.
The report highlighted Saudi Arabia’s performance in key areas including AI infrastructure, supported by national platforms such as HUMAIN, as well as progress in AI governance, public-sector digital transformation and the development of flexible national policies to accelerate AI adoption.
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