News
Nearly All Saudi Gen Z & Millennials Will Be AR Users By 2025
A new white paper by Snap Inc and others reveals how immersive tech will transform the retail industry in Saudi Arabia.
Snap Inc, the owner of Snapchat, has partnered with PwC Middle East and Retail Leaders Circle (RLC) to commission a white paper entitled, “The shift towards immersive shopping: New opportunities for retailers in KSA”.
The study (which you can find here) focuses on the evolution of the typical Saudi consumer and how shoppers now desire more immersive retail experiences. The paper points out that businesses must embrace digital and hyper-responsive AR experiences as the backbone of their marketing strategies rather than simply adding to traditional methods.
Right now, a significant gap exists between the perception of AI by consumers and brands, with 94% of brands viewing AR as being primarily for fun, whereas only 53% of consumers view it the same way.
Not only that, by 2025, it is estimated that around 75% of people worldwide will be frequent AR users. And almost all of the Gen Z and Millennial population of Saudi Arabia will use the technology frequently.
As Saudi shoppers demand ever-higher levels of convenience, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a leading role in the future of retail, enabling hyper-personalization, real-time behavioral dat, and analytics to offer the right promotions and tailored messages to customers in real time.
Also Read: ChatGPT Offers API Access & Developers Are Taking Advantage
“Over the years, we have seen AR evolve from being just a mode of entertainment and self-expression to delivering true value for consumers and businesses. AR is already transforming the industry and is slated to metamorphose every shopper’s journey in the near future. Today, as we ponder the future of retail, it’s time to be agile and adapt wholeheartedly to the latest in commerce,” says Abdulla Alhammadi, Regional Business Lead for KSA Market, Snap Inc.
In a world where online shopping is focused more on product rather than the consumer, Snap Inc’s report shows us a retail future driven by customer self-expression. According to Snap Inc, AR can “showcase products, push creative boundaries, drive real sales, and help reduce returns.” The company also highlights that “250 million people already engage with AR on Snapchat each day, and Snapchatters now play with AR more than 6 billion times a day on average”.
News
Influencer Growth Fuels Saudi Creator Economy Surge
The Kingdom’s creator economy grew over 32% in Q1 2025, fueled by TikTok, UGC, and cost-per-action (CPA) influencer models.
Saudi Arabia’s creator economy saw a significant 32.37% growth in the first quarter of 2025, driven by an uptick in influencer marketing, content-driven e-commerce, and the increasing influence of user-generated content (UGC). These insights come from a recent study by Admitad and the Stllr Network.
Much of this momentum is coming from video-based platforms, where brands are leaning on creators who feel more relatable than polished ad campaigns. The trend shows a clear preference for authenticity, as audiences gravitate toward content that feels real and personal.
Mohannad Alzahrani, Co-founder and VP KSA of Stllr Network, highlighted the shift: “The rise of user-generated content (UGC) is changing the way brands engage with consumers. Audiences trust real creators more than traditional advertising, making UGC a key driver of authenticity and sales”.
TikTok remains the dominant platform in this space, reportedly reaching 88% of the Saudi population. It also showed the sharpest rise in influencer-led transactions. Other platforms followed with solid, if less dramatic, growth: X was up 17%, Instagram increased by 12%, and Telegram by 10%.
In terms of content niches, beauty led the pack with a 56% growth rate, followed by lifestyle at 45.8% and fashion at 18.2%. Tech content also showed healthy traction at 10.6%, while entertainment, food, fitness, parenting, and gaming posted smaller — but still positive — gains.
Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025
The report analyzed more than 300,000 influencer-driven purchases. These efforts translated into a 15% year-on-year jump in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and a 5% increase in the number of orders in 2024. Influencers themselves are seeing the benefit, with average order values hitting $54 and creator earnings rising by 14%.
A noticeable trend is the move away from fixed-rate deals. More influencers in Saudi Arabia are embracing hybrid compensation models — especially cost-per-action (CPA) setups that tie their earnings directly to performance.
As Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, explains, “The CPA model brings much-needed transparency to influencer marketing. Brands only pay for actual results, and influencers benefit by securing long-term partnerships while offering their audiences exclusive promo codes and special discounts”.
However, the ecosystem still shows a gender imbalance. The data indicates that 63% of creators in Saudi Arabia are men, while women account for just 37%.
Influencer Growth Fuels Saudi Creator Economy Surge
Dubai Integrates LiDAR & Digital Twins For Road Management
Starlink Launches Satellite Internet Service In Jordan
Free VPNs: Should You Be Using Them?
