The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has launched the "National Framework for AI Risk Management" aimed at providing a guiding reference and unified national methodology to help government and private entities in the Kingdom identify, assess, treat, and monitor risks of AI systems, and to promote the adoption of these technologies in a safe and responsible manner aligned with national priorities.

The framework launch comes at a time when the world is witnessing an accelerated expansion in the use of AI technologies to develop services and businesses, along with growing challenges associated with these systems, which differ in nature from traditional software risks and may affect individuals, institutions, and the economy.

SDAIA explained that AI systems may exhibit unexpected behavior during operation, their performance may change over time, and their results can be difficult to interpret and reproduce, which increases the complexity of risk management and necessitates adopting an integrated methodology to deal with them.

The framework is based on an integrated risk management cycle comprising four main stages: starting with context and scope definition, then risk identification, assessment, and treatment, and ending with ongoing monitoring and review processes. It also relies on a risk level assessment matrix based on likelihood and impact, ensuring unified assessment mechanisms across entities and helping prioritize treatment.

The framework is founded on seven core principles: integrity and fairness, privacy and security, humanity, reliability and safety, transparency and explainability, accountability and responsibility, in addition to social and environmental benefits. It also categorizes AI risks into seven main categories to ensure comprehensive assessment and no omission of any essential risks.

The framework includes a practical scenario simulating a government entity using an AI model for internal report preparation, illustrating mechanisms for risk identification, assessment, treatment, and monitoring, providing an applied model that entities in Saudi Arabia—across various sectors and digital maturity levels—can benefit from.

SDAIA emphasized that the launch of the framework is part of its efforts to promote the responsible and safe use of AI technologies, and to enable national entities to adopt them according to best practices, supporting the digital innovation ecosystem and aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

To review the "National Framework for AI Risk Management" issued by SDAIA, please visit this link.

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Electronic security Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia SDAIA

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14 July 2026Last update: 15 July 2026

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