Saudi Arabia’s approach to AI governance occupies a distinctive position in the global regulatory landscape — more structured than the United States’ voluntary guidelines, less restrictive than the European Union’s AI Act, and more comprehensive than most other Middle Eastern frameworks. The THAKAA Centre for AI Ethics, established under SDAIA, has developed a principles-based governance framework that aims to enable innovation while establishing clear boundaries.
Core Principles
The framework articulates seven core principles for AI deployment in Saudi Arabia: beneficial purpose (AI must serve human welfare), fairness and non-discrimination, transparency and explainability, privacy and data protection, safety and security, human oversight and accountability, and environmental sustainability.
These principles are operationalized through sector-specific implementation guidelines that translate abstract principles into concrete technical and organizational requirements.
Risk Classification
The framework employs a four-tier risk classification system for AI applications. Minimal risk applications (spam filters, content recommendations) require only voluntary self-assessment. Limited risk applications (chatbots, AI-generated content) require transparency disclosures. High risk applications (autonomous vehicles, medical diagnostics, financial decisions) require conformity assessment and human oversight mechanisms. Unacceptable risk applications (social scoring systems, manipulative AI) are prohibited.
Compliance Mechanisms
Organizations deploying high-risk AI systems must conduct and document AI impact assessments, implement continuous monitoring for bias, performance degradation, and safety, maintain human override capabilities, provide affected individuals with explanations of AI-driven decisions, and register the AI system with SDAIA’s National AI Registry.
Algorithmic Auditing
SDAIA has established an Algorithmic Auditing Centre that conducts independent assessments of high-risk AI systems. The centre employs both technical auditing (testing for bias, accuracy, and robustness) and process auditing (assessing governance structures, training data practices, and deployment procedures). The first mandatory audit cycle begins in Q3 2026.
International Alignment
Saudi Arabia actively participates in international AI governance forums, including the OECD AI Policy Observatory, the Global Partnership on AI, and the UN AI Advisory Body. The Kingdom’s framework draws on the OECD AI Principles while incorporating provisions specific to Saudi legal traditions and social values.