Saudi Arabia’s new Copyright Law will take effect on 12 August 2026, replacing the 2003 framework. Approved by Royal Decree No. M/169 and published in the Official Gazette on 13 February 2026, the law introduces a closely watched exception allowing reproduction of lawfully published works for the development of artificial intelligence products and algorithms, provided the user has lawfully obtained the original and the copying remains limited to that purpose. The provision is not a blanket licence for web scraping or large-scale model training: use must still satisfy the law’s safeguards against interference with normal exploitation and unreasonable prejudice to right holders.
The reform also establishes a conditional safe harbour for internet content providers whose handling, transmission, storage or display of data is mainly automated, who lack knowledge of infringement and who remove infringing material within a reasonable period after notice. It further clarifies that rights in qualifying employee-created works generally vest in the employer, while works first published abroad may fall within the law if published in Saudi Arabia within 30 days. For AI developers, platforms and multinational businesses, the immediate task is practical rather than theoretical: document training-data provenance, preserve licensing records, strengthen notice-and-takedown procedures and review employment contracts for ownership exceptions.
