British Embassy Riyadh invites concept notes by 17 July 2026 under the Gulf Strategy Fund in the range of £60,000 to £80,000, to be delivered by November 2026.
Artificial intelligence is transforming economies worldwide, and for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, AI is a strategic priority embedded within Vision 2030. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) lead the Kingdom's AI agenda, positioning Saudi Arabia as a global AI leader.
This call for concept notes is issued by FCDO under the Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF), a non-ODA programme fund that supports strategic programming to strengthen UK partnerships across the Gulf.
This project aligns with GSF objectives to enhance UK-Saudi engagement on innovation and technology, support Vision 2030 goals, and position the UK as a trusted partner in Saudi Arabia's AI-driven transformation. The project will provide UK government stakeholders with decision-useful intelligence to guide diplomatic, commercial, and programmatic engagement.
Outputs will be used by FCDO policy teams, British Embassy Riyadh, UK government departments (including DSIT and DBT).
Project objectives
The primary objective is to produce a comprehensive, evidence-based mapping and analysis of the AI landscape in Saudi Arabia, examining the policy environment, institutional structures, research ecosystem, commercial sector, and governance frameworks.
Specific objectives include:
- mapping the AI policy and governance landscape
- analysing the AI research and innovation ecosystem
- assessing the AI commercial and entrepreneurial environment
- examining AI talent development and pipelines
- identifying strategic opportunities for UK-Saudi AI collaboration; and
- producing actionable, policy-relevant recommendations to inform future UK engagement
The programme will adopt a whole-of-ecosystem approach, delivering analytical, evidence-driven, and strategically oriented insight that supports decision-making rather than purely descriptive outputs.
Scope of work
The implementing partner will conduct comprehensive desk research, stakeholder consultations, and analytical synthesis to produce a detailed mapping and analysis of Saudi Arabia's AI landscape, focusing on collaboration to address the challenge of building and scaling AI ecosystems.
Funding and delivery
The project will be funded through UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and must be delivered by 30 November 2026.
The project budget will be in the range of £60,000 to £80,000.
Eligibility and procedural requirements
Eligibility
- we accept concept notes from non-profit organisations, non-governmental organisations, government entities, academic institutions, think tanks/research organisations and private companies given the appropriate due diligence
- the project must be led by a single lead implementer holding full accountability for project delivery and budget. A lead implementer may, subject to British Embassy Riyadh's agreement, sub-contract some activities to a third party
- applications are open to organisations based in the UK or Saudi Arabia. Priority will be given to institutions which can demonstrate experience in AI landscape mapping in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region
- applicants must also demonstrate competency/experience in AI. This would ideally include competency/expertise in the specific theme most relevant to the project's scope as outlined above
- ethics and do no harm: concept notes must include adequate ethical risk assessments, including in relation to any potential issues around data, safeguarding, AI safety, and other relevant ethical issues
How to apply
We encourage potential applicants to discuss project ideas with the British Embassy Riyadh Programmes Team before applying or to seek further clarification. Email the Programmes Team
