The Global AI Show Riyadh, held from 29-30 June 2026, has cemented its status as a key event for the Kingdom's designated "Year of Artificial Intelligence." Organized by VAP Group and powered by Times Of AI, the two-day summit attracted 15,000+ registrations, welcomed 6,723 attendees, featured 100+ global speakers and 100 exhibitors, and convened a 70% CXO-level delegation from 80+ countries. The event marked a decisive shift from experimental AI pilots to centralized, nation-scale AI deployment, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's growing role as a global AI powerhouse.
The summit highlighted the "Human-AI Interaction" framework, with keynote tracks focusing on workforce planning, AI-driven recruitment, and upskilling programs to equip the next generation of Saudi talent. Day 1 featured an opening keynote by Dr. Mohammed Nasser Alshahrani, Executive Advisor to the Minister, Council of Economic and Development Affairs, on how data quality will define winners in the AI era. Day 2 opened with Nezar Al Turki, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of National Guard, outlining the shift from digital transformation to AI transformation and the foundations required to scale AI-driven enterprises.
The event also witnessed the announcement of VAP Ventures, a strategic initiative by VAP Group to back 100 startups by 2030 and accelerate global innovation. Vishal Parmar, Founder & CEO of VAP Group, stated, "What we've built with the Global AI Show goes far beyond a conference into a catalyst for global innovation... VAP Ventures is the natural next step in that journey, empowering founders who will shape the future of global innovation."
Discussions explored agentic AI, sovereign AI infrastructure, enterprise AI transformation, responsible governance, AI-powered healthcare, financial services innovation, cybersecurity, workforce development, and the future of human-AI collaboration. Michael Lints, Founding Partner MENA, Golden Gate Ventures, remarked, "The AI era is reshaping venture capital. Today's founders need more than funding, they need access to infrastructure, strategic partnerships and global networks."
The summit also examined scalable AI deployment, investment opportunities, digital public infrastructure, intelligent automation, and the role of AI in accelerating Saudi Vision 2030 while strengthening cross-border innovation. The momentum established at Riyadh will carry forward to the next Global AI Show set for Abu Dhabi on 12-13 November 2026, creating a window for discussions to materialize into tangible outcomes.
