The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in cooperation with Google Cloud, has launched the first phase of the "Elevate Program", the first of its kind in the world that aims to train 1,000 women representing 28 countries on data and artificial intelligence (AI) domains. The Elevate Program, which will run until August 30, 2023, was first announced during the second edition of the Global AI Summit that was held in Riyadh in September 2022. The SDAIA indicated that the first phase of the program is offered under the supervision of 16 female and male trainers from the authority through two tracks—one for technical specialists and the other for non-specialists who wish to develop their skills. The program offers free training sessions designed to equip participants with the skills and experience needed for roles such as cloud engineer, data engineer, machine-learning (ML) engineer, or cloud business. It aims to empower women in global emerging markets to pursue new jobs in the AI and ML domains by training more than 25,000 women over the next five years. The program targets women in the fields of technology and science who are interested in pursuing careers in the field of data, AI, and ML so that they are more prepared to pursue the increasing job opportunities in such areas. Moreover, it seeks to close the gender gap in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, particularly in emerging markets. The launch of the Elevate Program comes within the framework of SDAIA's work to lead the Kingdom's march towards global leadership in the field of AI by raising awareness and qualifying cadres in data and AI. This will be achieved by providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills through specialized programs in accordance with the latest international practices offered by SDAIA Academy to achieve the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
