Saudi AI Team Wins Three International Awards at IOAI 2026 in Astana
ASTANA — The Saudi artificial intelligence team has won three international awards at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026), held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from August 2 to 8. Hosted with the participation of 108 countries, the achievement brings Saudi Arabia's cumulative total at the IOAI to seven international awards, comprising one silver medal and six bronze medals.
Supervised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education and KAUST Academy, the Saudi team underwent an intensive qualification and training program under Mawhiba's International Olympiad Program. The preparation included comprehensive instruction in machine learning, algorithm design, data analysis, and practical coding applications supervised by leading academics and field experts.
The members of the Saudi team—including Yousef Farid Al-Khalawi and Qusay Emad Jadallah from Jeddah, Ali Ayman Al-Khabbaz from the Eastern Province, and Hamad Mohammed Al-Kalbani from Riyadh—competed across rigorous theoretical and practical rounds against high school talents worldwide.
The IOAI stands as one of the premier global AI competitions for secondary students, aiming to nurture problem-solving capabilities, foster international scientific collaboration, and accelerate deep-tech expertise. The performance underscores Saudi Arabia's expanding ecosystem for identifying, nurturing, and empowering national youth to lead future innovations in science and technology.
