- Saudi Arabia ranks first globally for female AI representation.
- The AI Index Report 2025 highlights strong women’s leadership.
What happened: Saudi Arabia leads global female AI workforce
Saudi Arabia has been named the world leader in female AI representation, according to the AI Index Report 2025 by the Stanford Institute for Human‑Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). The ranking is based on the female‑to‑male ratio in the AI workforce and reflects the country’s ongoing efforts to boost women’s participation in technology.
Saudi Arabia also placed third in AI job growth last year and fourth in the number of leading AI models. These gains stem from initiatives by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is driving national capability building, strengthening digital infrastructure and promoting AI adoption across key sectors.
Only seven nations, including the US, China and France, have developed advanced AI models, the report notes. However, Saudi Arabia ranked eighth for talent attraction, indicating room for improvement in drawing global AI professionals. The findings align with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which supports advanced training and professional development programmes to sustain female leadership in AI.
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Why it’s important
Saudi Arabia’s top ranking demonstrates how targeted policy and investment can shift gender balance in a high‑growth sector. It underscores the impact of leadership from bodies like SDAIA in shaping inclusive AI ecosystems. The strong showing in job growth and model development may encourage other nations to adopt similar strategies. At the same time, the lower talent attraction ranking highlights the need for competitive incentives to draw and retain female AI professionals.
By aligning with Saudi Vision 2030, the country shows how long‑term national goals can drive workforce diversity. The report’s findings provide a benchmark for policymakers, educators and industry leaders to measure progress in female empowerment. They also offer data to guide future training, recruitment and international collaboration in AI. As governments worldwide seek to close gender gaps, Saudi Arabia’s example may serve as a model for fostering women’s leadership in emerging technologies.
