RIYADH: More than half of Saudi companies are already using artificial intelligence to strengthen cybersecurity defenses, with firms adopting the technology to accelerate threat detection, response and recovery, a new survey showed.
The Cisco AI Readiness Index found that 51 percent of organizations in the Kingdom have implemented AI in their security operations, while 60 percent of respondents said they are highly aware of AI-driven cyber risks as businesses embed the technology deeper into their security architecture.
AI deployment is set to accelerate further, with 91 percent of Saudi organizations planning to introduce AI agents and 40 percent expecting those agents to work alongside human employees within the next year, the report said.
The rapid adoption reflects Saudi Arabia’s push to position itself as a regional technology hub under its Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda.
The findings follow a June study by Elon University showing that 80 percent of Saudi adults use AI tools, with one in three using them regularly, while 53 percent of businesses rely on at least one AI tool in their workflows.
Fady Younes, managing director for Cybersecurity at Cisco Middle East, Africa, Turkiye, Romania and CIS, said: “Saudi Arabia is making strong progress in embedding AI across its economy in line with Vision 2030. Organizations in Saudi Arabia are not just rapidly scaling AI, but are critically adopting a proactive stance on protecting AI, data, and identities.”
According to the survey, 39 percent of organizations are integrating AI into their identity and security systems, while another 39 percent report being fully equipped to control and secure AI agents.
Cisco said 68 percent of Saudi companies already report gains in profitability, productivity and innovation from AI investments, underscoring the technology’s growing commercial impact.
“Together, these figures show that many organizations in Saudi Arabia are moving beyond experimentation and now embedding and governing AI as part of their core security approach,” the report stated.
The Cisco AI Readiness Index 2025 is based on a double-blind global survey of 8,000 senior IT and business leaders responsible for AI strategy at companies with more than 500 employees across 26 industries.
