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Jamal M. Labani, CEO of Solidrange, told Arab News that AI is moving Saudi cybersecurity governance from periodic audits to real-time continuous oversight amid Vision 2030’s digital push. Compliance is now an embedded daily process as threats rise, according to the executive, while IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 put the Middle East average breach cost at $8.75 million. The shift allows organisations to gain ongoing visibility into risks before they escalate.
Labani, co-founder of the Alkhobar-based firm, said most organisations had continued to approach governance and compliance as audit-led activities despite dynamic cyber risks and regulations. “We wanted to make compliance continuous rather than episodic,” he told Arab News. Solidrange is constructing AI-native systems that handle governance, risk and security tasks at scale while ensuring humans retain responsibility for oversight and final decisions, according to Labani.
The company has deployed its platforms for automated evidence collection, phishing simulations, risk detection and compliance management, which cut manual efforts and speed up threat responses. “We see real AI deployment where it is built into daily operations, not packaged as a marketing feature,” Labani stated. This approach delivers continuous visibility into controls and obligations, allowing organisations to address exposures before they escalate into breaches.
Augmented governance, as described by the executive, integrates risk management into everyday workflows across regulated industries in the kingdom. “Augmented governance means governance is no longer something managed through paperwork or revisited mainly during audits,” Labani told Arab News. “It becomes part of daily operations, with continuous visibility into controls, risks, and obligations.”
Implementation challenges remain central, with Labani cautioning that treating artificial intelligence as a mere shortcut without robust processes can generate additional vulnerabilities. He told Arab News that accountability must remain human, supported by clear ownership, approval mechanisms and comprehensive audit trails. Proper data foundations and organisational ownership are essential to realise benefits while avoiding new risks.
IDC figures show spending on cybersecurity will surpass $1.1 billion in 2025 and reach $1.8 billion by 2027. A separate analysis projected the Saudi Arabia cybersecurity market to grow from $6.94 billion in 2024 to $17.53 billion by 2030. PwC has estimated that artificial intelligence overall will contribute $135 billion to the Saudi economy by 2030.
The National Cybersecurity Authority continues to update regulations to match the pace of digital transformation, creating demand for locally attuned AI solutions that incorporate Saudi regulatory and cultural contexts from inception. Labani noted that professionals are moving away from routine data gathering toward higher-level interpretation and strategic risk prioritisation. Human judgment gains prominence as AI assumes more execution and information synthesis roles.
