Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Zain KSA, a leading telecom provider in the Saudi ICT sector, announced the launch of its AI Center of Excellence (CoE) to integrate AI technologies into its operations and expand AI-powered solutions across the Kingdom to serve individual and enterprise customers better.
This strategic initiative marks a significant step in Zain KSA’s transition to an AI-driven operating model, in line with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the ‘Year of AI’, the company announced in a press release today.
The launch of the AI CoE aligns closely with Zain Group’s broader ‘4WARD - Progress with Purpose’ strategy, leveraging shared platforms, partnerships, and accumulated expertise, and enabling Zain KSA to achieve faster deployment and leverage AI infrastructure investments more efficiently, while ensuring solutions tailored to Saudi Arabia’s regulatory environment and market.
The AI CoE will serve three integrated roles: enabling AI integration within the company's operations to enhance decision-making and performance; providing scalable solutions for government and private sectors; and coordinating global partners, technology platforms, and local stakeholders for effective implementation.
Saad AlSadhan, CEO of Zain KSA, commented: “Innovation is fundamental to how we operate and how we create and deliver value. As Saudi Arabia’s digital economy accelerates, Zain KSA sees AI as a structural shift that must be embedded throughout our operations and extended through the broader ecosystem.”
For her part, Maha AlQernas, Executive VP of Information Technology and Head of the AI CoE, stated that the AI Center of Excellence gives the company a robust structure to move from experimentation to disciplined execution. “It focuses on the value AI creates for all stakeholders and unlocks its role in enabling new use cases across industries. This allows us to continue to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and support the Kingdom’s position as a leading, AI-driven economy.”
The launch of the AI CoE strengthens Zain KSA’s role as a key enabler of Saudi Arabia’s ambitions under Saudi Vision 2030, translating AI potential into practical, measurable outcomes across the Kingdom’s digital ecosystem.