Data science is evolving at an accelerated pace, with the advancement of knowledge and technology, modern and innovative tools and methods have emerged for storing, analyzing, and processing data, to the extent that data has become an essential component of the knowledge economy and a key contributor to decision-making and policy formulation. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has stated that “Data is the oil of the future.” In recognition of the importance of data and its governance, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may Allah preserve him – issued Royal Order No. 59766 dated 20/11/1439H, which stipulated the establishment of the National Data Management Office under the Board of Directors of the National Information Center, in addition to the establishment of Data Management Offices across all government entities. Furthermore, Council of Ministers Resolution No. (292) dated 27/4/1441H stipulated in Paragraph (1) of Article Ten that: “The Office shall be responsible for developing policies, governance mechanisms, and controls related to data and artificial intelligence, and for monitoring compliance with them following their approval.”
Moreover, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may Allah preserve him – has launched numerous initiatives aimed at building a knowledge-based economy driven by artificial intelligence and big data, due to their substantial impact on achieving the objectives of the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030.
These initiatives seek to realize several important strategic gains, including:
• Supporting and strengthening the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts in achieving national visions and strategic objectives.
• Promoting a culture of data sharing and collaboration to enhance and develop data, information, and knowledge assets.
• Regulating the publication, exchange, use, and reuse of protected data and public information.
• Achieving integration and interoperability among government entities.
• Leveraging data analytics tools that enable leaders to formulate policies, execute plans, and anticipate future trends.
• Preserving the privacy of personal data and the confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Protecting individuals’ rights when handling personal data and public information within government entities.
• Promoting open data concepts and practices to improve transparency, encourage research and innovation, and stimulate economic growth.
• Enhancing transparency and establishing governance principles through the clear distribution of roles and responsibilities.
• Safeguarding the national digital sovereignty of personal data.
• Raising the standards of community oversight over the performance of public entities.
• Supporting integrity enhancement and anti-corruption efforts by enabling access to public information as a guaranteed human right.
• Enabling investment and innovation in data-driven services to strengthen developmental, economic, and competitive gains, thereby contributing positively to the Kingdom’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Increasing trust in services that rely on data.
• Enhancing electronic services and transactions in a manner that achieves integration and operational efficiency.
• Contributing to improved commercial and economic performance through transparency and equitable access to public information, thereby enhancing competitiveness and equal opportunities.
• Advancing scientific research by encouraging researchers to benefit from public information and strengthening the developmental and oversight role of society and its institutions.
• Providing equal opportunities for individuals seeking public information, thereby promoting equal citizenship and public participation in awareness of national issues.
In the modern era, the effective utilization of data has become one of the defining characteristics of advanced management practices. The processes of collecting, analyzing, structuring, and classifying data constitute the foundational core for leveraging modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning. They also contribute to creating a data-driven environment based on performance indicators, enabling leaders to make informed decisions that maximize benefits, reduce costs, improve outputs, and enhance institutional and sector-wide operational efficiency.