Manal Saleh

Riyadh, 1 September 2026: Ms. Ashwaq Al-Shathri, Group Vice President and Country Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, Publicis Sapient, emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s AI conversation is entering a more consequential phase. The question is no longer whether organisations will adopt AI, but how quickly they can move from experimentation to enterprise-scale execution, and whether that execution creates measurable value.

Al-Shathri said in a statement during Publicis Sapient’s participation at LEAP 2026: As adoption accelerates, the differentiator will not simply be access to the latest technology. Organisations need the foundations that allow AI to work at scale: modern technology environments, connected and trusted data, redesigned operating models, and governance that keeps pace with increasingly autonomous systems. Without these fundamentals, even ambitious AI investments risk remaining isolated pilots rather than becoming part of how an organisation actually operates.

This is particularly important in Saudi Arabia, where the pace and ambition of digital transformation create an opportunity to think beyond incremental change. AI can fundamentally reshape how businesses operate, how services are delivered and how people interact with organisations. But realising that opportunity requires companies to modernise the enterprise around AI, rather than simply adding AI to existing processes.

The human dimension is equally critical. As AI becomes embedded into everyday workflows and decision-making, organisations will need to rethink roles, build new capabilities and ensure people are equipped to work effectively alongside intelligent systems. Technology can accelerate transformation, but people ultimately determine whether it succeeds.

At Publicis Sapient, we see the next phase as a shift from proving what AI can do to demonstrating what it delivers. For Saudi organisations, the opportunity is to turn the momentum around AI into scalable, responsible transformation that improves experiences, strengthens operations and creates lasting economic value.”

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