Saudi employers among the world’s most proactive adopters of AI in HR, new research reveals

Top talent acquisition challenges and alarming identity fraud discovery rate also revealed in recent YouGov research, commissioned by HireRight

REPORTS AND CASE STUDIES

James Randall., Middle East Sales Director at HireRight

7/1/20264 min read

Saudi employers are emerging as some of the world’s most forward-looking adopters of AI, according to new YouGov research commissioned by HireRight, a leading provider of global background screening services and workforce solutions. The research reveals how KSA employers’ recruitment, workforce screening, and general AI attitudes and behaviours compare with their peers across EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.

AI adoption by HR teams in Saudi Arabia appears to be near-universal, with employers notably optimistic about its role. Just 7% of Saudi respondents said their company was not yet using AI to support key HR functions—in stark contrast to the 42% of UK respondents who said the same. Training and development, HR administration and policy management, and workforce planning and analytics are the HR functions most likely to be supported by AI in the Kingdom.

Saudi employers also stand out globally for their attitudes toward candidates using generative AI tools. Nearly two-thirds (63%) say they view candidate use of AI positively—the joint highest rating of the markets surveyed, alongside India—significantly above the UAE (44%) and the global average (46%). Additionally, 76% of Saudi respondents are confident they can identify AI-assisted job applications and 45% believe they will increase their hiring in 2026 due to AI requiring workers with new skills.

“Saudi Arabia is undergoing an ambitious workforce and economic transformation,” said James Randall, Middle East Sales Director at HireRight. “What stands out in this market is not simply the pace of AI adoption and its widespread acceptance by HR teams; it is the seriousness with which employers are approaching workforce integrity and long-term workforce quality.”

Recruitment challenges evolve as employers modernise hiring

Unlike many global markets where talent shortages dominate the conversation, finding qualified job candidates was a top concern for just 23% of Saudi employers—the lowest figure in all markets surveyed.

Instead, the research found that more HR leaders in the Kingdom are focused on transforming the recruitment process itself, with the top talent acquisition challenges expected for 2026 including streamlining recruitment through the integration of new technologies, improving recruitment efficiency, and enhancing the candidate experience.

These findings suggest Saudi organisations are approaching recruitment transformation strategically, focusing not only on attracting talent but also on building faster, more scalable, and more digitally enabled hiring models.

However, the push toward modernisation comes amid rising workforce pressures. Last year, KSA employers outpaced the global averages for higher-than-expected employee churn (37% vs. 24%), lower-than-normal offer acceptance rates (35% vs. 18%), and increased cost-to-hire expenditure (33% vs. 28%).

This combination of rising employee turnover, hiring costs, and competition for talent is prompting organisations to place greater emphasis on processes that improve hiring accuracy and reduce long-term workforce risk.

Identity fraud highlights need for screening

Saudi employers are among the most likely to have discovered identity fraud last year. The research reveals that 57% of HR and recruitment decision-makers in Saudi Arabia uncovered identity fraud among their candidates or employees in 2025—the third-highest rate in the eight locations surveyed, trailing only India and the UAE. This figure reflects both the prevalence of this issue in the Kingdom and the rigour of the screening being conducted.

When selecting a background screening provider, Saudi HR leaders place the greatest importance on accuracy and quality of results (37%), candidate experience (34%), customer service (31%), and ease of use (31%). These findings indicate organisations are seeking providers capable of balancing reliability, simplicity, and operational efficiency in increasingly fast-moving hiring environments.

Respondents also say employment screening is most valuable in strengthening workplace safety and security (36%), mitigating financial losses through criminal activity such as fraud and theft (35%), and identifying employee behaviours that may conflict with corporate values (32%). But these risks are not exclusive to a company’s candidates and employees.

Looking beyond the permanent workforce, 91% of Saudi respondents said that their vendors/suppliers and contractors are screened before working with their company, demonstrating an understanding that workforce risk is not limited to a company’s full-time employees.

However, 59% of respondents said their contingent workers are not screened by the same provider they use for their pre-employment screening, potentially leaving gaps or inconsistencies in workforce oversight.

“While organisations in the Kingdom are embracing technology at speed, they are doing so with a clear understanding that growth must be supported by trust, governance, and robust hiring standards,” Randall continues.

“As businesses continue to strengthen their workforce risk management strategies, consolidating contingent worker screening with their current pre-employment screening provider could help companies introduce more consistent due diligence across their entire workforce.”

The research shows that many of Saudi Arabia’s HR leaders are balancing requirements for scale, speed, and transformation. Hiring pressures remain high, recruitment costs are rising, and employers are increasingly focused on improving efficiency and candidate experience.

At the same time, AI is becoming deeply embedded across HR functions, influencing decisions that extend well beyond recruitment and into onboarding, workforce planning, and employee development.

Together, these findings paint a clear picture. Saudi employers are building one of the region’s most technologically ambitious and operationally disciplined hiring environments, where AI adoption, workforce screening, and long-term workforce quality are increasingly viewed as interconnected priorities.

Research methodology

YouGov conducted the research on behalf of HireRight between 18 February and 6 March 2026. The study surveyed 1,061 senior HR and recruitment decision-makers across multiple global markets, including 101 respondents from Saudi Arabia that worked in organisations with 100 or more employees.

James’ profile

linkedin.com/in/randalljames

For more information, visit www.hireright.com.