Saudi AI training initiative draws 51,000 registrations from 170 countries

More than 51,000 people from 170 countries registered for a Saudi-backed AI training programme that focused on practical applications of artificial intelligence, with participants building more than 3,400 AI-powered applications during the eight-day programme.

The AI Training Hackathon, organised by Kanz in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, recorded 51,693 registrations and 24,816 live attendees across six evenings of instruction. The programme also set a Guinness World Record after 14,075 participants joined an AI lesson simultaneously.

While the record drew attention to the programme, its broader focus was on building practical AI skills that workers can apply beyond traditional technology roles. Participants used no-code platforms to develop tools for workflow automation, research, presentations, multimedia content and business applications.

More than 21,000 certificates were issued, while participants also developed online portfolios featuring their work. The programme did not require previous coding experience and was delivered in Arabic and English.

For Roy Baladi, founder and CEO of Kanz, the record was secondary to the skills participants gained. “The record is the headline. The transformation is the point,” Baladi told Arab News. “Every participant ends the week having built a working AI app — not watched a lecture about one.”

The programme also included a significant level of participation from Saudi Arabia, with more than 19,000 registrations coming from within the Kingdom, including over 10,000 Saudi nationals. More than 9,100 participants from Saudi Arabia attended the training live and produced over 1,900 AI projects.

“The hunger for AI skills here is enormous and barely tapped,” Baladi said. “Give people a real, free and practical way to learn, and they respond.”

The training comes as employers across sectors increasingly adopt AI tools for tasks ranging from data analysis and workflow automation to content creation and productivity. This is creating demand for employees who can use AI in their day-to-day work, including those without traditional software development backgrounds.

Baladi said lowering the technical barriers to AI adoption would be important for expanding access to these skills. “If you can write an email, you can build with AI.”

Participants represented more than 140 nationalities, with the programme designed to accommodate people regardless of age, profession or previous technical experience.

Beyond the programme, graduates were offered access to further AI learning and certification opportunities, including a course developed by Google and the University of Helsinki.

The scale of participation points to the growing demand for accessible AI training as Saudi Arabia expands its investment in AI infrastructure and seeks to develop the workforce required to use these technologies across industries.

“Every registration represents someone who can now build with AI when they couldn’t before,” Baladi said.