AI is moving fast. Markets are moving faster.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future conversation. It is already reshaping how economies grow, how governments operate, and how businesses compete. 

Across global markets, AI adoption is accelerating under pressure: tighter margins, rising infrastructure costs, fragmented regulation, and growing demand for measurable returns. Boards want outcomes, not experiments. Sales leaders want access, not awareness. Founders want traction, not theory. 

At the same time, regional power is shifting. 

While some markets wrestle with policy uncertainty and slowing investment cycles, Saudi Arabia is doing the opposite, building, funding, regulating and scaling AI with intent. 

This is the backdrop against which DeepFest takes place. 

The Global AI Landscape: Progress Under Pressure 

AI investment remains strong, but it is no longer frictionless. 

International businesses face a familiar set of challenges: 

• Regulatory divergence between regions, increasing compliance costs 
• Rising compute and infrastructure spend, putting pressure on ROI 
• Slower sales cycles as buyers become more selective 
• Growing scrutiny around data use, ethics and governance 

At the same time, AI is expected to contribute meaningful GDP growth across industries, from finance and logistics to healthcare, mobility and climate tech. 

The opportunity is clear. 
The challenge is execution. 

Winning now requires focus, speed, and access to decision-makers who can buy, partner, or deploy. 

Why the GCC Is Pulling Ahead 

Across the GCC, AI has become an economic lever, not a side initiative. 

Governments are using AI to: 

• Diversify economies beyond hydrocarbons 
• Build smart infrastructure at national scale 
• Attract global technology partners and capital 
• Develop local talent to support long-term growth 

Unlike more fragmented regions, the GCC is aligning policy, funding and infrastructure around clear national priorities. That alignment shortens timelines and reduces uncertainty for businesses entering the market. 

For AI suppliers, this means: 

• Faster routes to market 
• Clearer procurement pathways 
• Strong demand from both public and private sectors 

And at the centre of this momentum sits Saudi Arabia. 

Saudi Arabia’s AI Ambition Is Structural, Not Experimental 

AI is a core pillar of Vision 2030. 

• Saudi Arabia is investing across the full AI stack: 
• National data and AI governance through SDAIA 
• Large-scale infrastructure and compute 
• Smart cities and digital government programmes 
• Sector-specific adoption in healthcare, finance, energy, logistics and security 
• Support for startups, scale-ups and global entrants 

The Saudi AI market is forecast to grow rapidly through to 2030, driven by public-sector demand and enterprise adoption. But growth alone is not the story. 

What matters is how the market operates. 

Saudi buyers value: 

• Proven use cases 
• Trusted partners 
• Local understanding 
• Long-term commitment 

This is a relationship-driven market where presence matters. 

Where DeepFest Fits In 

DeepFest exists to connect this momentum to the companies building the technology. 

Co-located with LEAP, the world’s largest tech event, DeepFest brings together: 

• AI suppliers actively selling into the region 
• Buyers from enterprise, government and high-growth sectors 
• Investors, founders and ecosystem leaders shaping deployment 

This is not about broad awareness. 
It is about relevance. 

At DeepFest, conversations happen with people who, control budgets, influence procurement and, shape national and enterprise AI strategies. 

For exhibitors and sponsors, this translates into: 

• Shorter sales cycles 
• Higher-quality leads 
• Faster market validation 
• Real commercial conversations, on the ground in Riyadh 

Turning Visibility Into Revenue 

Many AI companies struggle with the same question: 

How do we enter a complex market without wasting time and budget? 

DeepFest answers that by: 

• Concentrating the right buyers in one place 
• Providing regional context and credibility 
• Creating an environment designed for deal-making, not browsing 

Instead of months of outreach, travel and local introductions, DeepFest compresses access into four focused days. 

That is the commercial advantage. 

Why This Moment Matters 

AI adoption in Saudi Arabia is accelerating now, not next year. 

Budgets are active. 
Strategies are being finalised. 
Partners are being selected. 

Businesses that show up early shape the conversation. Those that wait, enter a more crowded field. 

DeepFest 2026 takes place at a point where: Demand is strong, competition is increasing. And buyers are actively evaluating solutions. For AI companies serious about growth in the GCC, this is where presence becomes leverage. 

Be Where Decisions Are Being Made 

DeepFest is where global AI ambition meets regional execution. 

If your goal is to: 

• Meet buyers who can move fast 
• Establish trust in the Saudi market 
• Turn conversations into contracts 

Then this is where your strategy becomes tangible. 

Let’s discuss how DeepFest fits your growth plans.