Zain KSA, the leading digital services provider in Saudi Arabia has launched its AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE), a strategic function established to embed Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its operations and extend AI-driven capabilities across the Kingdom to better serve individual and enterprise customers. 

This milestone marks a significant step in Zain KSA’s transition toward an AI-first operating model, in tandem with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the ‘Year of AI’.  

Part of Zain Group’s broader ‘4WARD-Progess with Purpose’ AI strategy, the AI CoE builds on shared platforms, partnerships, and expertise. This enables 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 drive the systematic adoption of AI across all business units. It will enhance operational efficiency, elevate customer experience, and support data-driven decision-making across key functions, including customer care, commercial management, and network operations. 

Eng. Saad bin Abdulrahman 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.” 

Maha AlQernas, Executive VP of Information Technology and Head of the AI CoE said: “The AI Center of Excellence gives us 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.” 

Spanning the full value chain, the CoE operates across three integrated roles. It enables embedding AI across Zain KSA’s operations to enhance decision-making and drive performance, and provides scalable AI solutions to enterprises and government entities across key sectors. The CoE will also serve as an orchestrator, bringing together global partners, platforms, and local stakeholders to ensure a cohesive, effective deployment. 

The initiative is underpinned by a dedicated governance framework that ensures AI is deployed responsibly and in line with regulatory guidelines, including those of the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence and the ICT sector. 

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.