Saudi Arabia Tops the World in AI Specializations Linked to Security and Privacy

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published April 15, 2026

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Saudi Arabia has ranked first globally in artificial intelligence fields tied to security, privacy and cryptography, according to the 2026 AI Index Report issued by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. The more precise framing here is that the Kingdom leads in a specific AI specialization, not across every branch of artificial intelligence.

The report’s findings show that Saudi Arabia has the world’s highest share of AI inventors working in security, privacy and cryptography at 15 percent, ahead of India at 13 percent and the UAE at 12 percent. The same reporting on the Stanford findings also says the Kingdom ranks first globally in female representation among AI inventors and authors at 32.3 percent, ahead of Australia at 30.1 percent and Canada at 29.6 percent.

The ranking adds fresh momentum to Saudi Arabia’s push to expand its AI ecosystem at a time when countries are competing to build trusted digital infrastructure, stronger data protection systems and more secure AI applications. In practical terms, leadership in this specialization matters because security, privacy and cryptography sit at the core of how governments, companies and institutions build confidence in advanced technologies.