Riyadh, December 10, 2023, The National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence (ATHKA) has achieved a remarkable milestone, setting a record with over 260,000 Saudi male and female students from intermediate and secondary levels participating. This extensive involvement represents more than 10,000 schools across the Kingdom, making ATHKA the largest national Olympiad to reach such widespread participation. The surge in engagement signals a significant increase in the awareness and interest of Saudi youth in programming and AI technologies.
The substantial success of ATHKA is attributed to the effective collaboration between the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the Ministry of Education, and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba). Together, these entities aim to strengthen ATHKA as a national initiative dedicated to nurturing a generation proficient in programming and AI. This aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically focusing on human capacity development and technological literacy.
In April 2023, Saudi Arabia secured the second position globally in societal awareness of AI, showcasing a significant achievement. This recognition follows a survey demonstrating increased confidence among Saudi citizens in utilizing AI products and services. The sixth edition report of the Artificial Intelligence Index by Stanford University highlights a high level of trust among Saudi citizens in embracing AI technologies within the Kingdom. This accomplishment underscores the nation's commitment to fostering a tech-savvy and AI-aware society.
