Saudi Arabia has officially accelerated its journey toward becoming a global AI leader. On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the Ministry of Education launched the SMAI 2 initiative during the International Conference on Capacity Building in Data and AI (ICAN 2026). This second phase is a massive strategic expansion designed to integrate AI capabilities across 11 core government ministries, including Health, Finance, Justice, and Industry. The program is built on a newly unveiled SMAI 2 Charter, which mandates the responsible adoption of AI to enhance operational efficiency and national productivity within the public sector. The launch of SMAI 2 follows the unprecedented success of its predecessor, SMAI 1 (One Million Saudis in AI), which surpassed its goal by providing accredited AI training to over 1.1 million citizens. Notably, 52% of those trained were women, and 70% were active employees, demonstrating a deep cross-section...