AI is everywhere these days — robots, self-driving cars, smart tools. But there’s a big problem hiding behind all the hype: getting people to actually use AI at work.
The Big Gap
Ayman Al-Rashed, IBM Saudi Arabia’s regional VP, shared some surprising numbers with Arab News at LEAP 2026. Most CEOs in Saudi Arabia have already started rolling out AI in their companies. But only a small fraction of employees are actually using it day to day.
So the tools are there. The people aren’t using them. That’s the real challenge.
Al-Rashed put it simply: adoption itself has become the biggest hurdle for businesses trying to go all-in on AI.
Why People Aren’t Using It
A lot of it comes down to understanding. Two employees might ask an AI tool to do the exact same task, but phrase it differently — and get completely different results. That’s confusing, and confusion kills adoption.
The fix, according to Al-Rashed, is education. People need to understand:
- How AI actually works
- How it’s governed and controlled
- What data and access it has
- What skills they need to use it well
Without that foundation, AI just becomes another tool nobody trusts.
Good Governance Doesn’t Kill Innovation
There’s a common myth that adding rules and oversight to AI slows everything down. Al-Rashed pushed back on that idea directly. You can have strong governance and full innovation at the same time — they’re not opposites.
IBM has been working with Saudi Arabia’s Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) on seven principles for responsible AI use, covering things like fairness, privacy, safety, transparency, and accountability. The goal isn’t just talking about responsible AI — it’s giving companies real tools to practice it.
From Assistants to Agents
The next big shift in AI is moving from simple assistants (that answer questions) to agents (that actually complete tasks on their own). This is where IBM says most of the current excitement — and effort — is going.
One real example: IBM worked with King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) to build a custom asset management system using IBM Maximo, an AI-powered platform for maintaining buildings and infrastructure. Interestingly, KAFD registered the resulting system under its own name, not IBM’s. IBM says that was actually the point — they want clients to customize and own what they build, not just rent software.
Saudi Arabia’s Bigger AI Ambitions
Saudi Arabia isn’t just trying to use AI — it wants to build and export it. IBM’s response to that goal was opening a Software Lab in the region, its first new lab in years and the only one in the Middle East and Africa.
Some of IBM’s global flagship software is now being developed right there, by Saudi engineers. The idea is to grow local talent that can build tools used not just in the Kingdom, but worldwide.
The Bottom Line
Having AI isn’t the hard part anymore — getting people to actually trust and use it is. That takes education, clear governance, and giving employees the confidence to work with these tools every day.
