Saudi Arabia Prepares 2026 Launch of AI-Powered Sustainability Platform

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning has developed SUSTAIN, in partnership with the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company, as an AI-enabled platform due to launch in beta form in 2026.

AI is moving from experimentation to operational deployment at scale, with one significant application being its capacity to match needs with capabilities across sectors. Examples include Clarivate’s Pivot-RP, which uses AI to match researchers with relevant funding opportunities based on their profiles, disciplines and research interests. 

SUSTAIN

SUSTAIN is an AI-enabled matchmaking partnership network designed to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and accelerate the delivery of sustainable development initiatives. It forms part of Saudi Arabia's National Sustainable Development Blueprint, aligned with Vision 2030, which aims to drive long-term prosperity, preserve the environment, and improve quality of life. In essence, it is an AI-powered matchmaker for sustainability projects.

Potential

Based on estimates building on historical data, SUSTAIN could facilitate partnerships worth up to $20 billion in Saudi Arabia and up to $100 billion across the MENA region by 2030. The platform is also framed as supporting delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Governance

SUSTAIN's specific governance architecture has not been publicly detailed, but it will operate within Saudi Arabia's existing AI and data governance ecosystem. Saudi Arabia does not currently have an AI-specific law; AI is governed through cross-sectoral legislation and regulatory regimes. The cornerstone is the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), enacted by Royal Decree M/19 of 2024, which governs personal data collection, processing, and transfer. Oversight sits primarily with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), which leads the national AI strategy and has issued influential, non-binding guidelines including the Generative AI Guideline, the National AI Ethics Principles, and the AI Adoption Framework. 

For a platform like SUSTAIN, which will process data from government, corporate, and academic participants across multiple sectors, compliance with the PDPL and alignment with SDAIA's governance frameworks will be critical. Its proponents envisage that AI can turn one-off sustainability initiatives into repeatable, scalable collaboration models, a shift from ad hoc partnerships to a systematic approach to sustainable development.

Looking Ahead

SUSTAIN is an ambitious attempt to apply AI's matchmaking capabilities to sustainability. Its success will depend on the sophistication of its AI, strength of its governance framework, breadth of its user base, and the willingness of public and private sector actors to engage transparently.

For organisations in the MENA region and beyond, the platform signals a direction of travel: using AI not merely to automate existing processes but to create new models of cross-sector collaboration.