Global AI Show Riyadh 2026: Agentic AI & Nation-Building

The Global AI Show in Riyadh recently concluded, marking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's designated "Year of Artificial Intelligence." This event attracted over 6,700 attendees and featured more than 100 global speakers and exhibitors from over 80 countries. What's interesting is how the show emphasized a shift from experimental AI to large-scale, nation-wide deployment. Key discussions focused on "Human-AI Interaction," workforce planning, and AI-driven recruitment. VAP Group also announced VAP Ventures, an initiative to support 100 startups by 2030. The event featured insights from leaders like Dr. Mohammed Nasser Alshahrani, who spoke on data quality in the AI era, and Nezar Al Turki, who discussed the move from digital to AI transformation. The bottom line is that AI is moving from concept to a core component for optimizing workflows across industries and governments.