91% of organizations report AI initiatives meeting or exceeding expectations
Saudi companies are seeing tangible returns from artificial intelligence as investment becomes more disciplined and workforce preparation gathers pace, according to a new SAP-commissioned YouGov survey of chief IT decision-makers in the Kingdom.
The research shows that AI is moving beyond experimentation and into mainstream business use. Half of respondents said their AI initiatives exceed expectations, while a further 41% said returns are meeting expectations.
At the same time, 59% said their organization prioritizes AI investments strategically and enterprise wide. Together, the findings suggest that organizations in Saudi Arabia are increasingly focused on delivering measurable outcomes from AI through more structured, business-led adoption.
Disciplined investment
“Enterprises in the Kingdom are increasingly looking for AI that delivers relevant business outcomes. What stands out in these findings is that companies are combining disciplined investment with workforce preparation, which is essential if AI is to create lasting value within everyday business processes,” explained Ahmed AlFaifi, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, SAP Middle East Africa–North.
The survey also highlighted that more than half of respondents said their organizations are upskilling or reskilling employees at scale, at 54%, while 52% are rolling out targeted training for specific roles and 53% are hiring new AI-related talent
Alfaifi concluded that the findings reflect continued momentum across the Kingdom as organizations expand their use of AI to support productivity, faster decision-making, and workforce readiness in line with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic ambitions.
