RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has ranked 15th globally in artificial intelligence research output for 2025, driven by the volume of academic publications, according to a new report.
The Kingdom produced 29,639 AI-related publications, placing it among the top contributors to global AI research and highlighting its emerging role as a regional technology leader.
This performance places Saudi Arabia ahead of several long-established research hubs, including the Netherlands, Singapore, and Russia, as well as Switzerland and Sweden, according to the newly released Global AI Competitiveness Index.
Dmitry Kaminskiy, general partner at Deep Knowledge Group, said: “Saudi Arabia’s ranking aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, reinforcing the country’s commitment to developing a sustainable, diversified knowledge-based economy.”
He added: “With AI being a central pillar in the nation’s development plans, the findings of our report pave the way for continued excellence and leadership in the field.”
The Global AI Competitiveness Index, jointly developed by the International Finance Forum and Deep Knowledge Group, evaluated more than 2 million AI-related scientific papers and invention patents worldwide.
The report measures countries based on both the quantity and impact of their AI research contributions.
The Kingdom’s output translates to over 823 AI publications per million people, which reflects its ongoing efforts to strengthen its scientific and technological landscape.
“Saudi Arabia’s AI research output is a testament to the country’s commitment to becoming a leader in technology and innovation. The Kingdom’s strategic investments in AI infrastructure and talent development are already yielding impressive results, setting the stage for further advancements,” Kaminskiy added.
The research milestone comes amid broader gains in global AI competitiveness. In the 2024 Global AI Index by Tortoise Media released in September, Saudi Arabia climbed 17 positions to rank 14th overall, overtaking the UAE as the leading Arab nation in AI.
The index, which evaluates countries on factors such as research, talent, infrastructure, and government policy, also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s top global ranking in the government strategy category.
Global trends
The Global AI Competitiveness Index report also underscores broader international trends, with Mainland China leading in total volume of AI papers — reporting a 696 percent increase over the past decade to reach 769,000 publications.
Japan and South Korea’s entry into the global top 10 further reflects the growing dominance of East Asia in the international AI research landscape, the report noted.
Saudi Arabia has also been ranked 24th globally in AI patent output. With a total of 1,189 AI-related patents filed, the Kingdom is continuing to build its innovation capacity in parallel with its growing research footprint.
While its absolute patent count remains modest compared to leading nations, the ranking reflects the country’s early but expanding efforts in technological commercialization and intellectual property development within AI.
In terms of AI patents per million people, Saudi Arabia reported a rate of 35, placing it ahead of larger economies such as Russia with 6.4, and India with 3.1, but still trailing far behind global leaders like South Korea, 2,317.9, Japan, 1,751.2, and the US, 1,365.2.
