The Global AI Show Riyadh, held from 29-30th June, 2026, cemented its status as a pivotal event for the Kingdom’s newly designated 'Year of Artificial Intelligence.' Organized by VAP Group and powered by Times Of AI, the summit attracted 15,000+ registrations, welcomed 6,723 attendees, featured 100+ global speakers and 100 exhibitors, and convened a 70% CXO-level delegation from 80+ countries. The event underscored Saudi Arabia's growing role as a global AI powerhouse and marked a decisive shift from experimental AI pilots to centralized, nation-scale AI deployment.
As a forward-looking platform, the Global AI Show served as an example of how to create an environment for collaboration, connecting the newest technologies with large-scale, real-world applications across multiple sectors and government entities. The event also witnessed the announcement of VAP Group's most ambitious initiative yet: the launch of VAP Ventures, a strategic initiative to back 100 startups by 2030 and accelerate the next chapter of the global innovation ecosystem.
The 2026 edition highlighted the 'Human-AI Interaction' framework. Keynote tracks focused heavily on workforce planning, AI-driven recruitment, and upskilling programs designed to equip the next generation of Saudi talent with the tools required to steer autonomous digital agents. The first day featured an opening keynote by Dr Mohammed Nasser Alshahrani, Executive Advisor to the Minister, Council of Economic and Development Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on why data quality will define the winners of the AI era. Day 2 opened with a keynote by Nezar Al Turki, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of National Guard, outlining the shift from digital transformation to AI transformation.
The summit explored the next frontier of artificial intelligence through discussions on agentic AI, sovereign AI infrastructure, enterprise AI transformation, responsible governance, AI-powered healthcare, financial services innovation, cybersecurity, workforce development, and the future of human-AI collaboration. Michael Lints, Founding Partner MENA, Golden Gate Ventures, remarked, 'The AI era is reshaping venture capital. Today's founders need more than funding, they need access to infrastructure, strategic partnerships and global networks that help them move from breakthrough ideas to scalable businesses faster than ever before!'
The sessions also examined scalable AI deployment, investment opportunities, digital public infrastructure, intelligent automation, and the role of AI in accelerating Saudi Vision 2030 while strengthening cross-border innovation and economic collaboration. Vishal Parmar, Founder & CEO of VAP Group, stated, 'What we’ve built with the Global AI Show goes far beyond a conference into a catalyst for global innovation. Seeing thousands of innovators, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs come together in Riyadh has been incredibly inspiring. VAP Ventures is the natural next step in that journey, empowering founders who will shape the future of global innovation.'
The momentum established at this summit will carry forward to the next Global AI Show set for Abu Dhabi on 12-13 November, 2026, creating a window for discussions at Riyadh to materialize into something tangible for the Abu Dhabi edition.
