With scepticism low across the Kingdom’s workforce, the opportunity for leaders now lies in converting openness into daily, core use
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 2026 — Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI CRM, announced findings from a new study of more than 1,500 desk workers across four continents, revealing that Saudi Arabia’s workforce is among the most receptive to artificial intelligence, with just 15% of Saudi desk workers identifying as AI sceptics.
The finding arrives as Saudi Arabia marks 2026 as its Year of Artificial Intelligence and places AI at the centre of the Kingdom’s development agenda under Vision 2030. The study suggests that one of the foundations on which such ambitions depend, a workforce open to adopting the technology, is already firmly in place.
The research, conducted with YouGov, sought to understand what separates workers who experiment with AI from those who adopt it as a core part of their work. In a market where confidence is already high, the study suggests the path from interest to daily reliance is well within reach for Saudi enterprises that build the right conditions.
Across the study, the workers who successfully moved from pilots to daily use shared a consistent set of needs. They identified data security as a non-negotiable requirement (69%), AI that understands their role and context without constant prompting (57%), and a natural, conversational experience embedded in the tools they already use (60%), alongside structured, ongoing training rather than one-off demonstrations. The study identified more than 500 workers who made this transition, and where those conditions were met, the results indicate that 76% became active advocates for AI, and 63% used it every day.
Mohammed AlKhothani, SVP & GM, Salesforce Middle East, said: “Saudi Arabia’s workforce is starting from a position of real confidence in AI, and that is a significant advantage as the Kingdom marks its Year of AI. The task for leaders now is not to convince people that AI is worthwhile. It is to give them the security, the training, and the everyday experience that turns that openness into a genuine workforce advantage.”
“The study’s broader conclusion is that adoption is built, not assumed. As Saudi Arabia advances its Year of AI and the wider Vision 2030 transformation, the data suggest that the foundation for workforce readiness is already in place, and that leaders who invest in trust, capability, and role-specific enablement will be the ones who realise AI’s full productivity potential,” added AlKhothani.
Methodology: In partnership with YouGov, Salesforce conducted a double-blind online survey among more than 1,500 desk workers, defined as workers who consider their day-to-day job primarily mental labour, who were required to have at least minimal familiarity with AI, in Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The survey was conducted from December 2025 to January 2026. The sample is representative across job roles, industries, and business size.
