Samer Choucair: Digital Economy Accounts for 16% of Saudi GDP as AI Reshapes Jobs and Investment
Samer Choucair said the rapid transformation of Saudi Arabia’s labor market is reshaping the country’s capital-allocation landscape, as demand gradually shifts away from routine tasks toward technical, analytical, and creative skills capable of working alongside artificial intelligence.
Choucair explained that Saudi Arabia’s transformation is taking place within a broader global shift. The World Economic Forum expects approximately 170 million new jobs to be created by 2030, while 92 million jobs are expected to be displaced, resulting in a net increase of roughly 78 million jobs.
The report also indicates that approximately 40% of the skills required for jobs will change, while the skills gap has emerged as one of the most significant barriers to business transformation.
Saudi Arabia’s Digital Economy Reaches 16% of GDP
Choucair noted that Saudi Arabia is particularly well positioned to benefit from this transformation. The digital economy accounted for 16% of GDP in 2024, up from 15.6% in 2023, while operating revenues in the information and communications technology sector reached SAR 249.8 billion.
He added that the Kingdom’s designation of 2026 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence” reflects the transition of technology from a collection of individual initiatives into a core component of the country’s economic-diversification strategy.
This transformation is supported by investment in digital infrastructure, talent development, data, and artificial intelligence.
AI Creates Investment Opportunities Beyond Job Replacement
Choucair believes the investment opportunity does not lie in completely replacing human workers, but rather in companies and platforms that use AI to increase employee productivity, improve decision-making, and reduce costs.
This creates opportunities across sectors including data centers, cloud computing, cybersecurity, fintech, healthcare, logistics, education, and workforce reskilling.
He emphasized that the most attractive businesses may be those capable of integrating AI into existing operations rather than simply selling AI as a standalone technology.
AI Could Add More Than $135 Billion to the Saudi Economy
Choucair pointed to estimates from PwC indicating that artificial intelligence could contribute more than $135.2 billion to the Saudi economy by 2030, equivalent to approximately 12.4% of GDP under the study’s original estimate.
He stressed that this figure represents a potential economic contribution rather than guaranteed revenue or a measure of investment volume.
The distinction is important for investors, as the realization of AI’s economic potential will depend on adoption rates, productivity gains, infrastructure availability, regulatory frameworks, and the ability of businesses and workers to adapt.
Human Capital Becomes Part of Growth Infrastructure
Choucair said institutional investors will need to monitor technology-adoption rates, productivity, the quality of human capital, and companies’ ability to retrain and reskill their employees.
He argued that investment in skills should increasingly be viewed as part of the infrastructure of economic growth, rather than merely as a short-term operating expense.
Companies that successfully combine employee capabilities with AI tools could potentially achieve stronger productivity and more sustainable competitive advantages than those relying exclusively on either technology or traditional labor models.
The Investment Thesis: Redesign Jobs, Don’t Just Eliminate Them
Samer Choucair concluded that Saudi Arabia’s AI strategy should not be centered on the disappearance of jobs, but on redesigning jobs and increasing their productivity.
He said the capital most capable of generating sustainable returns in the AI era will be capital that combines digital infrastructure, human capabilities, and sound technology governance.
For institutional investors, this means looking beyond headline AI spending and assessing whether companies can translate technology investment into measurable productivity, stronger margins, resilient workforces, and sustainable long-term cash flows.