RIYADH — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has affirmed Saudi Arabia's leading position in the number of data centers among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, reflecting the Kingdom's significant progress in developing digital infrastructure. This advancement is closely linked to rapid growth in the fields of data and artificial intelligence, led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is the national entity responsible for development, processing, and regulatory efforts in collaboration with relevant sectors. In its recent study titled "Digital Transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council Economies," the IMF praised Saudi Arabia's establishment of SDAIA as an independent authority in 2019 and highlighted the launch of the National Strategy for Data and AI. The IMF also commended the Kingdom's issuance of the Personal Data Protection Law, emphasizing Saudi Arabia's commitment to strong data governance and privacy. The law seeks to create a dynamic regulatory environment that keeps pace with technological developments while safeguarding individual and institutional rights in line with global standards. As part of its strategic initiatives, SDAIA is developing and operating sustainable data centers that meet international benchmarks and are certified by the Uptime Institute — the global authority on data center classifications. These facilities are also recognized for their energy efficiency, featuring low power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratings. The IMF further noted the Kingdom's success in launching a series of digital platforms that have accelerated progress across key sectors. These platforms have contributed to improving quality of life, enhancing service reliability and accessibility, and advancing the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
