Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of Saudi Arabia's digital economy. Its influence is now reaching advertising, media planning and the way brands understand audiences.
This development comes at an important time for the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has named 2026 its Year of Artificial Intelligence, while the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, known as SDAIA, continues to support AI adoption as part of the country's wider Vision 2030 ambitions.
For advertisers, the change creates new opportunities. AI can help teams understand data, plan campaigns, develop creative ideas and assess performance. As digital screens become more common across Saudi cities, these capabilities could play a growing role in how brands approach outdoor advertising.
AI is helping advertisers understand audiences
Choosing the right location has always been a major part of planning an outdoor campaign.
AI gives media planners more ways to study the information available to them. Systems can process large datasets and identify patterns that would take people much longer to find manually.
Depending on the data available and the technology being used, this can help advertisers explore factors such as:
- Traffic patterns
- Audience movement
- Time of day
- Location performance
- Previous campaign results
- Seasonal behaviour
The aim is to make planning decisions using stronger evidence.
This can be particularly useful in fast-growing cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah, where new commercial districts, entertainment destinations and transport infrastructure are changing how people move through urban areas.
Campaign planning can become more efficient
Planning a large campaign involves many decisions.
Teams need to consider locations, formats, audience patterns, budgets and creative requirements. AI tools can support this process by organising information and identifying useful patterns.
This does not remove the need for experienced media planners. Local knowledge remains important.
AI can support the creative process
Generative AI has brought new tools into advertising agencies and marketing departments.
Teams can use the technology to explore early ideas, organise research, test different concepts or develop initial visual directions. This can speed up parts of the creative process and give designers and copywriters more options to consider.
However, an AI-generated idea is still an idea.
Outdoor creative has to work in the real world. Text needs to be readable. Branding must be clear. The main message should make sense within seconds.
Saudi campaigns also need to reflect local language, culture and audience expectations. Human review therefore remains an essential part of the process.
Better data can improve campaign measurement
Measurement has become an increasingly important part of out-of-home media.
Advertisers want to understand what their campaigns achieved and how individual locations contributed to the overall result.
AI can help analyse campaign data and highlight patterns across locations, periods or audience groups. This could make reporting easier and help advertisers apply what they learn to future activity.
The quality of the output still depends on the quality of the information going into the system. Poor or incomplete data can lead to weak conclusions.
Privacy and responsible AI matter
More advanced use of data also brings responsibilities.
SDAIA has published frameworks and guidance covering responsible AI adoption, data governance and AI ethics. Its stated objectives include encouraging responsible and ethical AI use across Saudi Arabia.
Advertisers and technology providers therefore need to consider privacy, transparency and appropriate data use when introducing AI-based tools.
This will become increasingly important as advertising technology develops.
