Technologies Integration

Saudi Arabia maintains a robust digital infrastructure that supports its accelerating digital transformation. This infrastructure has enabled the Kingdom to respond effectively to disruptions across the public and private sectors, ensuring continuity of business operations, education, public services, and daily life.

The Kingdom ranks among the top ten globally for the strength of its digital infrastructure. Strategic partnerships with the private sector have contributed to improving the quality and reach of digital services. Key developments include:

• Extending fiber-optic network coverage to more than 3.5 million homes across the Kingdom.
• Internet traffic increased by 30% during the pandemic.
• Doubling internet traffic through the Saudi Arabian Internet Exchange (SAIX).
• Boosting average internet speeds from 9 Mbps in 2017 to 109 Mbps in 2020.
• Completing the expansion of the internal coverage system at the Holy Mosque in Makkah.

Saudi Arabia was recognized as the "Top Digital Riser" among G20 nations, attributed to comprehensive government support for digital transformation under Vision 2030. Additionally, the Kingdom provided 100% of households with basic telecommunication services, covering over 576,000 homes in remote areas with broadband services.

Saudi Arabia's digital government strategy has expanded to include Mobile Government (M-Government) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. These developments support the Kingdom's broader goals of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and delivering seamless services to citizens anytime and anywhere. M-Government provides significant benefits for both the government and the public by minimizing service delivery costs, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of public services, reducing operational and processing time, and increasing accessibility to government services via mobile devices, subject to internet availability.

The Saudi government has identified M-Government as a priority not only across all government agencies but also as a key component of community engagement. Policies are designed to support mobile-based services that offer seamless, accessible, and user-friendly experiences to citizens and residents. As part of this approach, the government has focused on understanding the factors that influence citizen adoption of M-Government services. For example, the Ministry of Health has developed several mobile applications and services, reflecting the high priority placed on mobile service delivery in the healthcare sector. Other ministries and government agencies have similarly launched mobile platforms to expand their reach and improve citizen engagement.

Mobile technology is recognized for its agility, which is essential to supporting rapid digital transformation, enabling the development and deployment of mobile applications, and ensuring a positive impact on service accessibility and user experience. The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) plays a central role in safeguarding data integrity and security, contributing to the Kingdom's broader digital success story. To maintain momentum in M-Government development, policies, and roadmaps are continuously updated to anticipate technological advancements and guide future progress.

The successful implementation of M-Government services relies on several critical components, including backend database systems, citizen support systems, and online platforms that facilitate the efficient delivery of services. At the same time, agility remains crucial to address potential challenges such as slow or inconvenient service experiences, which can negatively affect user satisfaction. Security and protective technologies are also vital to countering risks and maintaining public trust in mobile services.

Saudi Arabia's M-Government strategy reflects its commitment to delivering efficient, secure, and user-centered digital services as part of its Vision 2030 digital transformation objectives.

A robust technology and networking infrastructure is the foundation for advancing electronic governance and digital transformation in the Kingdom. As digital transformation progresses, there is a growing demand for:

• More efficient and reliable communication channels.
• Secure platforms to manage and run government services.
• Scalable data management solutions, including data centers, big data platforms, and cloud services.

Cloud computing plays an essential role in this infrastructure. The Kingdom has successfully attracted global hyper-scale cloud service providers, ensuring advanced digital services for government, private sector, and consumer use.

The Government Service Bus (GSB) is a key enabler of Saudi Arabia's digital transformation, facilitating seamless, secure, and efficient data exchange among government entities. Managed by the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the GSB supports over 240 integrated services, processes over 4 billion transactions annually, and connects 220 beneficiaries, including ministries, authorities, and public institutions. 

As a backbone for e-government transactions, the GSB streamlines the exchange of essential data, such as commercial registries, health records, real estate data, and enterprise licenses, all while ensuring data security and privacy. The platform is designed to improve the performance of government services by reducing service delivery time, simplifying the integration of new services, and offering a more responsive digital government infrastructure.

Infrastructure and Cybersecurity

The GSB's robust infrastructure includes network components, servers, and licenses integrated with the National Information Center's (NIC) monitoring systems like the Network Operations Center (NOC) and a Security Operations Center (SOC). It complies with cybersecurity controls set by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) and follows governance and compliance standards. 

Key Features and Services

• Publishing Platform: Enables government entities to publish their services.
• Inter-entity Integration: Facilitates access to shared services through a unified platform
• 24/7 Technical Support: Offers round-the-clock assistance to beneficiaries.
• Flexibility: Allows modification or cancellation of services as needed. 

Achievements and Statistics

• Connecting 220 beneficiaries (government entities)
• More than 240 services deployed
• More than 595 operations have been deployed
• Granting approximately 13120 authorizations to beneficiaries
• More than 4 billion operations have been monitored since the beginning of 2023

More information, including a list of services and beneficiaries, is available on SDAIA's website.

To meet this demand, Saudi Arabia is adopting partnership models to accelerate the development of modern, high-tech, and sustainable data centers. Building and operating data centers requires:

• Specialized expertise in design and construction.
• Carefully chosen sites that are secure and have resilient connections to power and global fiber-optic networks.

Saudi Arabia has also strengthened its position in attracting hyper-scale global cloud service providers. One example is the partnership between Alibaba Cloud and several Saudi entities, including:

• STC Group
• eWTP Arabia Capital
• Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI)
• Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE)

This partnership provides a strong and reliable infrastructure to support the Kingdom's national digital transformation.

Saudi Arabia's Cloud First Policy, launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), formalized the government's commitment to fostering cloud computing. The policy encourages government entities to prioritize cloud solutions when deploying new digital services and modernizing existing ones.

This strategic move leverages cloud computing's key benefits, such as scale, virtualization, resilience, cost-efficiency, service orientation, and agility. Together, these elements support a highly flexible and efficient digital government ecosystem.

The policy emphasizes five essential characteristics of cloud computing:

On-demand self-service:

• Allows users to provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage (unilaterally), without requiring human interaction with each service provider.

Broad network access:

• Makes cloud services available over the network and accessible through standard platforms, including mobile phones, laptops, and personal computers.

Resource pooling:

• Combines computing resources to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model.
• Resources are dynamically assigned and re-assigned based on demand.
• Users may specify a general location (e.g., country or data center) but not the precise location of resources.
• Examples include pooled storage, processing power, memory, network bandwidth, and virtual machines.

Rapid elasticity:

• Enables the quick and scalable provision of resources, which can be expanded or reduced automatically as needed.
• To consumers, resources appear virtually unlimited and can be acquired in any quantity at any time.

Measured service:

• Employs automated systems to monitor, control, and optimize resource usage.
• Usage metrics (such as storage, processing power, bandwidth, and user accounts) are tracked, offering transparency for both providers and consumers.

The Cloud First Policy represents a visible and focused effort to adopt cloud technology as a key operational and agile component of Saudi Arabia's digital transformation. It supports the Kingdom's ambition to streamline service delivery, enhance government efficiency, and promote innovation across the public sector.

AI-powered chatbots are widely used across Saudi Arabia’s government websites, service portals, and call centers. These chatbots provide real-time, 24/7 conversational support, enabling users to get quick answers to inquiries related to regulations, policies, laws, services, and procedures. By leveraging machine learning, the chatbots continuously improve their ability to understand and respond to user questions, making interactions more effective over time.

In addition to AI-powered chat support, users can escalate complex inquiries or unresolved issues to human agents through customer service centers or call centers. Both chatbot services and human support are available around the clock across all government agencies.

For physical customer service centers, including opening hours and locations, users are encouraged to consult the “Contact Us” section of the specific government agency or refer to the government directory.

AI-powered chatbots are integrated into many of Saudi Arabia’s digital government services and platforms, including:

• Beneficiaries Engagement Center (Amer).
• E-Services Platform (Absher)
• E-Consultation Platform (istitlaa)
• Open data Portal
• E-Procurement platform (Etimad)
• Justice services platform (Najez)
• Zakat, Tax and Customs Services
• Environmental Services
• Health Services
• Qiwa
• Monshaat
• Human Resources and Social Development
• Balady
• Naama

For comprehensive details about government agencies, their contact points, and opening hours, users can visit the government directory or access the Beneficiaries Engagement Center (Amer).

Saudi Arabia has adopted and developed comprehensive government platforms, launching a range of e-platforms and services designed to promote integration and provide streamlined, secure experiences for all beneficiaries. This includes operating the Government Service Bus (GSB) and the Chief Information Officers Portal, which has:

• Enabled remote work campaigns for 229 government agencies.
• Completed 249 services for government agencies via the portal.
• Currently offers 165 digital services.
• Adopted a unified smart attendance system across government entities.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the Digital Giving Initiative (Attaa Digital), a non-profit program aimed at enhancing digital awareness within society. The initiative provides specialized courses on digital transformation and information security, as well as seminars led by experts. Beneficiaries can also receive direct answers from specialists. 

Attaa Digital was awarded the 2020 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prize by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for promoting cultural and linguistic diversity and local content. As part of the initiative, the "Ethra" platform was launched in partnership with the private sector, along with the "Kollona Attaa" initiative.

The Digital Government Journal is Saudi Arabia's main electronic magazine focused on the government sector. It provides specialized content on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies, both locally and globally, for public sector leaders and interested stakeholders.

Saudi Arabia supports open-source solutions through the Masder platform, which serves government entities, private companies, universities, and research institutions. It aims to:

• Reduce costs.
• Encourage digital innovation.
• Maximize local content.
• Promote the concept of sharing and collaboration to help build an effective digital society.

The ThinkTech Digital Knowledge Platform raises digital awareness by exploring new technological developments. Key achievements include:

• Serving over 3 million digital content beneficiaries and 100,000 event beneficiaries.
• Launching the "Future Trucks" and "Virtual Lab" initiatives to raise awareness about Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, benefiting 31,800 participants.
• Organizing and hosting the World Robot Olympiad in Saudi Arabia for the first time, training more than 800 Saudi teams and 2,000 students.
• Launching the "Educational Journeys" platform for sustainable development.
• Partnering with IBM to launch the "IBM Digital-Nation” platform, offering a wide range of emerging technology courses at different levels.

The Tech Champions program supports entrepreneurs and encourages new companies to enter the market. In its first phase, the program achieved:

• 4 camps and 3 business accelerators.
• 3,000 incubators and 350 boot camp participants.
• 60 beneficiaries of accelerators.
• 50 new digital business models.
• 20 entrepreneurs incubated.

Launched by the Saudi Digital Academy, the Digital Hemam Bootcamps aim to professionalize recent graduates and job seekers. These intensive and specialized training programs include the Software Quality Assurance Bootcamp, a 13-week remote training course.

Saudi Arabia launched the Alibaba Cloud Center for cloud computing in Riyadh. The center:

• Supports digital sustainability.
• Develops and trains local talent.
• Accelerates growth within the local economic ecosystem.
• Increases the Saudization of technology jobs.
• Contributes to building a strong national economy over the next five years.

As part of a strategic agreement between Saudi Aramco and Google Cloud, Saudi Arabia launched the Kingdom’s largest advanced cloud center. This partnership:

• Supports entrepreneurs and businesses with innovative solutions in data, AI, and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
• Reduces operational efforts by 70% and costs by 30%.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the Wazen Methodology, providing frameworks and tools to calculate and optimize the costs of government services. This initiative has supported the government in improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness in delivering digital services.

Key achievements in 2020 include:

• Developing a methodology for calculating and reducing the cost of digital services based on global best practices by the Technology Business Management (TBM) Council.
• Designing a specialized tool to calculate and optimize service costs.
• Preparing training materials and change management plans to support adoption across government entities.
• Creating a performance measurement dashboard to assist decision-makers in enhancing cost management and service performance.
• Developing a detailed plan for calculating and reducing the costs of digital government services for the 2020/2021 period.
• Training executives in 18 government entities on the methodology and tools.