Dr. Alia O. Bahanshal

Director, National Center for Data Analytics and AI, KACST

Alia O. Bahanshal is an AI & Data Analytics professional with proven experience. Most recently, she worked at KACST as Director of the National Center for Data Analytics and AI with their AI Infrastructure team to build several platforms for Human Language Technologies, Social Media Analytics, Data Mining, Computer Vision, and IoT Analytics. She received her Ph.D. In Computer Science from King Saud University and published a significant number of scientific research papers in the areas of Semantics & Data Analytics. In 2020, she was an advisor to the G20 Digital Economy Task Force in the Data science field. She is a member of several scientific committees, initiatives, and projects in Saudi Government Sectors. She and her team dedicated their time and knowledge to mitigating the impact of Covid-19 via several scientific projects using AI & Data

Analytics technologies. In September 2021, she was awarded IDC Excellence Awards 2021, Women in Technology & Business 2021, for positively impacting the business outcomes, work cultures, and levels of innovation required for more significant financial performance. And for successfully reducing the impact of a lack of gender diversity in IT organizations and underscoring the need to expand mentoring programs that develop female leaders—also, Listed as one of IDC's Top 50 Female Achievers Middle East 2021 in Business & Digital Transformation Leaders of the Year. In 2022, she was listed on MIT Business Review Top 30 Arabic AI Experts List.