Generative AI skills enrollment among Saudi enterprise learners grew 312% year-over-year in 2025, according to Coursera’s Job Skills Report 2026, released on February 19, 2026. The report draws on data from six million enterprise learners across nearly 7,000 institutions worldwide.
Professional Certificate enrollments across all career areas increased 117% in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the data signals that AI proficiency is expanding beyond traditional technical roles, with professionals adding role-specific AI capabilities on top of foundational skills.
Generative AI Skills Growth Tied to Economic Targets
Generative AI is projected to contribute approximately $42 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy. As a result, workforce readiness has emerged as a critical enabler of sustainable growth under Vision 2030. Enterprises are embedding AI literacy across business functions while building governance and execution capabilities.
Kais Zribi, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Coursera, said the data reflects a deliberate strategic shift. “Our data shows Saudi enterprises are rapidly advancing AI capabilities while investing in the foundations required to support Vision 2030,” Zribi stated. “The significant growth in Generative AI, alongside broader technical and human skills, reflects a deliberate shift toward building resilient organizations that can execute large-scale transformation and translate national ambition into sustained economic value.”
Technical Foundations Strengthen Alongside AI Adoption
Saudi organizations are reinforcing core technical skills as AI adoption scales. Software Development enrollments rose 138%, while Data Analysis increased 106% and SQL grew 97%. Furthermore, Network Security enrollments grew 91% and Cloud Computing rose 56%, reflecting sustained investment in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure.
These trends align with the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which identifies AI and Big Data, Networks and Cybersecurity, and technological literacy among the fastest-growing skill areas by 2030. Consequently, the findings indicate a workforce preparing to build, secure, and operationalize new technologies at scale.
Human and Leadership Skills See Accelerated Demand
Demand for leadership and strategic capabilities is rising alongside technical skills. Change Management enrollments grew 115% among Saudi enterprise learners, while Critical Thinking increased 107%. In addition, Business Management enrollments rose 190% and Product Management increased 150%.
The report notes that human judgment, adaptability, and strategic oversight remain central to responsible AI deployment. These findings underscore the importance of pairing technical expertise with cognitive and leadership capabilities during periods of rapid technological change.
Global GenAI Trends and Inclusive Workforce Progress
Among learners worldwide pursuing Generative AI skills, Content Creation is the fastest-growing skill. Image Analysis ranks fourth and Multimodal Prompts ranks eighth, signaling AI’s expanding influence across business functions. Meanwhile, female participation in enterprise GenAI enrollments rose globally from 36% in 2024 to 41% in 2025.
Coursera’s Job Skills Report 2026 analyzes skill trends across three career areas: Data, IT, and Software and Product Development. The report is intended to help businesses, governments, and educational institutions understand the fastest-growing skills shaping the future of work.
