The Kingdom’s digital transformation showcased at Smart Data & AI Summit

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its journey toward becoming a global leader in digital innovation, the Smart Data & AI Summit will play a pivotal role in shaping the Kingdom’s data and AI landscape.

Scheduled for 5 – 6 May 2025 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Riyadh, this event will bring together 300+ data and AI professionals, including CDOs, CIOs, data scientists, AI directors, C-suite executives and many others, to explore the latest advances, tackle challenges, and unlock opportunities in data and artificial intelligence.

With the Kingdom’s data analytics market projected to reach $8.8 billion by 2030, the summit comes at an important time, offering a platform for public and private sector leaders to collaborate, innovate, and approach the nation’s Vision 2030 goals.

A platform for innovation and collaboration

Building on the success of its debut last year, which was inaugurated by a leading official from the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the 2025 edition promises to be bigger and more impactful.

The summit will feature:

• 25+ cutting-edge solution providers showcasing the latest technologies in data and AI.

• 50+ industry experts sharing insights on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.

• 300+ attendees, including data engineers, architects, AI pioneers, and decision-makers from Saudi Arabia’s largest organisations.

• 1:1 meetings to foster collaboration and evaluate tailored solutions.

• CPD-accredited sessions to help professionals enhance their skills and advance their careers.

Unveiling the future of data and AI

The summit’s agenda will look at important topics shaping the future of data and AI, including:

• Navigating open data in Saudi Arabia

• AI fusion and machine learning innovations

• Data virtualisation and the power of data mesh

• Ethical data governance and cybersecurity analytics

• Unified data cloud architectures

Discussions will be led by thought leaders from the Kingdom’s top organisations, including Ministry of Hajj & Umrah, Insurance Authority, Council of Health Insurance, NEOM, AlNASSR Club Company | PIF, and Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance.

DAMA Saudi Arabia joins as supporting partner

The Data Management Association (DAMA Saudi Arabia), the Kingdom’s largest data management community, has joined the summit as a supporting partner. The partnership underscores DAMA’s commitment to fostering a robust data management ecosystem and aligns with the summit’s mission to elevate Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in data and AI.

Abdulaziz Almanea, Founder & Chairman of the Board, DAMA Saudi, spoke of the importance of the summit: “Artificial intelligence is only as good as the data behind it. Quality, governance, and ethics must come first to ensure trust, accuracy, and impact. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its data-driven transformation, industry events like the Smart Data & AI Summit serve as vital platforms for bringing experts together to shape the future of AI with responsible and innovative data practices.”

A legacy of excellence

The inaugural edition of the summit set a high benchmark, with attendees praising the quality of speakers, depth of discussions, and opportunities for networking and collaboration. Nayef Al-Otaibi, VP & Chief Digital Officer at Saudi Aramco, said, “The event was well-managed, the coordination was excellent, and the quality of the speakers was above expectations. It was a beautiful experience connecting with industry experts during the panel discussions and sharing our experiences. This could basically help us establish the platform and collaborate and work together in future.”

Driving Vision 2030 forward

The Smart Data & AI Summit is a strategic initiative to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. By bringing together global expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and local insights, the summit aims to:

• Accelerate the Kingdom’s digital transformation.

• Foster innovation and collaboration across industries.

• Address regulatory challenges and ethical considerations in data and AI.

• Unlock new opportunities for investment and growth in the Kingdom’s data and AI sectors.

Sudhir Ranjan Jena, CEO & Co-founder of Tradepass, the organising body, spoke of the summit’s mission: “The data & AI sector is entering a transformative chapter, fuelled by technology disruptions, heightened expectations, and the unprecedented expansion of digital tools and platforms. In the upcoming edition, we will delve into Vision 2030 goals, unlock limitless opportunities, and explore emerging trends and solutions that will play an integral role in shaping the Kingdom’s post-oil economy.”

A high-impact speaker lineup

The summit will feature an impressive roster of speakers, including:

• Dr Ahmed Alzahrani – Director of Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Centre, Ministry of Hajj & Umrah

• Hajar Alolah – Data Governance and Management Office Director, Saudi Development Bank

• Abdullah AlBar – Chief Data Officer, Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance

• Usamah Algemili – Chief Data Executive, Insurance Authority

• Jawad Saleemi – Director – AI & Cloud, Telenor

• Abbasi Poonawala – Executive Director – Enterprise Architecture, Alinma Bank

• Nawaf Alghamdi – Director – Data Analytics & AI, Council of Health Insurance

These experts will share their insights on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in data and AI, offering attendees strategies to drive innovation and growth in their organisations.

For more information, visit: https://saudi.smartdataseries.com/

Media contact:

Shrinkhal Sharad
PR & Communication Lead
Tradepass
Email: [email protected]
Phone: + (91) 80 6166 4401