CARMA said 56% of global coverage carried a positive tone, with major outlets including Bloomberg, CNBC and Reuters highlighting Saudi Arabia’s ambitions
Global media coverage of Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative (FII) surged more than 40% this year, driven by narratives around progress, artificial intelligence and long-term economic transformation, according to a new analysis released on Thursday by media-intelligence firm CARMA.
The findings, presented at a seminar in Dubai’s DIFC, are part of CARMA’s first FII Global Insights Report, which examined more than 16,000 international news articles and 26,000 social posts published between Oct. 1 and Nov. 3.
CARMA said 56% of global coverage carried a positive tone, with major outlets including Bloomberg, CNBC and Reuters highlighting Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in AI and economic diversification.
“The Future Investment Initiative continues to redefine how the world views Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation,” said Mazen Nahawi, CARMA’s founder and group CEO. “Not as an aspiration but as a tangible reality backed by delivery and execution.”
The study found that the 2025 edition of FII—known as FII9—generated nearly 23,000 media mentions, making “progress” the dominant theme. The concept appeared almost four times more frequently than other framing ideas such as “innovation” or “fragmentation,” CARMA said.
International engagement on social platforms climbed to 42%, up from 33% during last year’s edition. Traditional media visibility held steady at around 30%, indicating what CARMA described as a “dual-channel momentum” across both mainstream and digital platforms.
Analysts and commentators on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and X focused largely on high-profile deals, AI-related announcements, and statements from global CEOs and policymakers attending the Riyadh-based forum.
The Dubai seminar, held at the Capital Club, brought together figures from investment, communications and finance, including AGBI editor-at-large Frank Kane and Brunswick partner Jade Mamarbachi, with moderation by Insight Discovery CEO Nigel Sillitoe. The discussion compared how FII9 was framed across different regions and why this year’s “Progress” theme appeared to resonate more strongly with global audiences.
CARMA said much of the positive sentiment stemmed from coverage of Saudi Arabia’s leadership in frontier technologies and its widening diplomatic and investment activity, trends aligned with the objectives of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s long-term economic strategy.
According to the report, FII9’s portrayal as an outcome-driven platform—rather than a forum for theoretical debate—helped elevate the event’s profile. The narrative emphasised measurable results, new cross-border partnerships and Saudi Arabia’s push to convert announcements into long-term projects.
Nahawi said the shift reflected a broader change in global perception of Saudi Arabia’s economic direction. “This year’s coverage shows a clear rise in confidence,” he said. “It reflects recognition of the Kingdom’s determined efforts to advance economic progress, foster innovation and deepen its ties with global markets.”
The FII Global Insights Report uses a mix of AI-powered sentiment tracking, proprietary monitoring tools and human analysis to map how the forum influences international conversations on investment and reputation.
CARMA, which operates in 23 markets, said readers can pre-subscribe to receive the full report when it is released.
