Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Environments: Enhancing Startup Performance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Research and Development, Startup Enterprises Performance, Innovation Environment, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaAbstract
This study examines the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to serve as a research and development (R&D) accelerator for Saudi startups. It considers the mediating role of the innovation environment, which encompasses resource availability, leadership support, risk culture, learning orientation, and external collaboration, as outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. We illustrate, through a systematic synthesis of 220 peer-reviewed studies and policy documents (2020–2025), guided by the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, that AI adoption results in a 25% increase in productivity, along with improved decision-making, enhanced problem-solving, and increased customer satisfaction. However, they face a combination of talent shortages, fractured institutional support, and poorly developed infrastructure, which presents significant challenges to scaling. The case for the sustainable deployment of AI rests on these variables, which provide a rationale for empirical policy, academic, and industry collaboration, as well as direct but targeted investment. This work addresses a critical gap in the literature by empirically confirming the mediating mechanism of the innovation environment, thereby helping Saudi Arabia achieve its ambitions in a knowledge-based economy.
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