{
  "slug": "mena-ai",
  "name": "MENA AI Adoption",
  "updated": "2026-09-21",
  "page": "https://godofstartups.com/atlas/markets/mena-ai",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "facts": [
    {
      "metric": "Year-over-year change in Saudi establishments' AI-technology adoption",
      "value": "20.0",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "Saudi Arabia",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.stats.gov.sa/documents/d/guest/establishments-ict-access-and-usage-statistics-2025-en-pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Saudi Arabia GDP per capita, PPP",
      "value": "73783.56",
      "unit": "current international $",
      "geo": "SA",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=SA"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Saudi establishments using social media platforms",
      "value": "66.3",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "Saudi Arabia",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.stats.gov.sa/documents/d/guest/establishments-ict-access-and-usage-statistics-2025-en-pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Saudi establishments with internet access",
      "value": "98.1",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "Saudi Arabia",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.stats.gov.sa/documents/d/guest/establishments-ict-access-and-usage-statistics-2025-en-pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "AWS cloud region investment, Saudi Arabia",
      "value": "5.3",
      "unit": "USD billion",
      "geo": "Saudi Arabia",
      "period": "2024 announcement; region planned for 2026",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2058492"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Saudi Arabia AI talent hiring as a share of overall hiring",
      "value": "29",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "SA",
      "period": "2024",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/arabvoices/level-up-mena-how-digital-education-and-skills-are-powering-the-the-next-generation-of-jobs"
    },
    {
      "metric": "IMF AI Preparedness Index, Egypt",
      "value": "0.394",
      "unit": "index 0-1",
      "geo": "EG",
      "period": "2023",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/AI_PI"
    },
    {
      "metric": "IMF AI Preparedness Index, Saudi Arabia",
      "value": "0.577",
      "unit": "index 0-1",
      "geo": "SA",
      "period": "2023",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/AI_PI"
    },
    {
      "metric": "AI Preparedness Index (AIPI), Saudi Arabia",
      "value": "0.58",
      "unit": "index 0-1",
      "geo": "SA",
      "period": "2023",
      "tier": 1,
      "status": "ready",
      "url": "https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/AI_PI@AIPI/SAU"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Median Series A round size, Cairo tech startups",
      "value": "3",
      "unit": "USD million",
      "geo": "EG",
      "period": "H2 2023–2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/cairo"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Median seed round size, Cairo tech startups",
      "value": "400",
      "unit": "USD thousand",
      "geo": "EG",
      "period": "H2 2023–2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/cairo"
    },
    {
      "metric": "UAE tech Seed and Angel equity funding round count",
      "value": "19",
      "unit": "rounds",
      "geo": "AE",
      "period": "2025-H1",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://cdn.tracxn.com/marketing-campaigns/UAE_Tech_-_H1_2025_Report_OCeT0HJF8BbGjAZdoGJS4.pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "GCC organizations planning to increase their AI budgets in the coming year",
      "value": "89",
      "unit": "percent of respondents",
      "geo": "GCC",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-gcc-countries-in-pursuit-of-scale-and-value"
    },
    {
      "metric": "GCC survey respondents expecting AI to have a significant impact",
      "value": "93",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "MENA",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://www.deloitte.com/middle-east/en/about/press-room/gcc-leaders-accelerate-genai-adoption-in-tax-finance-and-legal-functions.html"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Population-level AI adoption rate, Qatar (Microsoft telemetry)",
      "value": "38.30",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "Qatar",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://hai.stanford.edu/assets/files/ai_index_report_2026_chapter_4_economy.pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Population-level AI adoption rate, United Arab Emirates (Microsoft telemetry)",
      "value": "64",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "United Arab Emirates",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://hai.stanford.edu/assets/files/ai_index_report_2026_chapter_4_economy.pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Net AI talent migration per 10,000 LinkedIn members, United Arab Emirates",
      "value": "4.40",
      "unit": "people per 10",
      "geo": "AE",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://hai.stanford.edu/assets/files/ai_index_report_2026_chapter_4_economy.pdf"
    },
    {
      "metric": "AI share of total MENA venture deal volume",
      "value": "29",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "MENA",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://magnitt.com/research/FY-2025-State-of-Venture-Capital-of-AI-in-MENA-51029"
    },
    {
      "metric": "MENA early-stage AI deal activity year-on-year growth",
      "value": "56",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "MENA",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://magnitt.com/research/FY-2025-State-of-Venture-Capital-of-AI-in-MENA-51029"
    },
    {
      "metric": "Generative-AI users engaging with the tools weekly or daily",
      "value": "55",
      "unit": "percent",
      "geo": "MENA",
      "period": "2025",
      "tier": 2,
      "status": "proxy",
      "url": "https://www.deloitte.com/middle-east/en/about/press-room/deloitte-digital-consumer-trends-2025-report-reveals-ai-adoption-surge-social-commerce-boom-and-changing-digital-behaviors-in-the-uaeand-ksa.html"
    }
  ],
  "note": "status: ready = two or more independent sources or an official series; proxy = one source; context = macro background, not a validation figure."
}