Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has been awarded an AI Ethics certification by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) for its Nusuk AI service. The ministry announced the recognition in September 2026, describing it as a mark of its commitment to the responsible and reliable use of smart technologies in serving pilgrims.
The certification places the Nusuk AI service within SDAIA's framework for ethical artificial intelligence, which sets standards for transparency, reliability and accountability in how AI systems are built and deployed. According to the ministry, the seal reflects its efforts to use AI to develop services and support decision-making across the pilgrimage.
How Nusuk AI serves pilgrims
Nusuk AI is integrated with the ministry's wider Nusuk platform, the unified digital gateway through which domestic and international pilgrims, workers, volunteers and transport vehicles obtain and display entry permits for Makkah and the holy sites. The AI layer turns operational data into insights and predictions that support planning throughout the season.
According to the ministry, the technology uses algorithms to manage the movement and grouping of pilgrims, a process known in Arabic as tafweej. During Hajj, the timing and routing of huge numbers of people between Mina, Arafah and the Jamarat is one of the most demanding logistical challenges, and smart scheduling aims to reduce dangerous congestion at pinch points.
Alongside crowd management, the ministry offers the Digital Mutawwif service through the Nusuk app. Described as a smart companion for pilgrims during their rituals, it uses spatial AI to understand a pilgrim's location, movement and journey in real time. Reports indicate that Nusuk AI and the Digital Mutawwif can assist pilgrims with real-time guidance in more than 180 languages.
Part of a wider digital push
The certification is one element of a broader drive to modernise the pilgrimage through technology. Saudi authorities have set an ambition for the Grand Mosque to become one of the world's smartest sites by 2030, and digital systems now underpin everything from meal distribution to permit issuance.
Earlier in the year, Saudi authorities highlighted AI platforms used to boost crowd and security control during Hajj, part of the same push to convert data into predictions that improve safety and reduce waiting. The ethics certification signals that the ministry wants this expansion to be governed by clear standards rather than pursued for its own sake.
For pilgrims, the practical effect is a growing reliance on the Nusuk app as the single point of contact for permits, bookings, guidance and now AI-assisted services. This consolidation simplifies access, but it also makes familiarity with the app essential before travel.
Practical tips for pilgrims
Pilgrims planning Hajj or Umrah should download the official Nusuk app well before departure and complete registration using their passport and visa details, so that permits and AI-guided services are ready when needed. It is worth exploring the Digital Mutawwif feature in advance to understand the guidance it offers during the rites.
Because the app now supports real-time direction in a large number of languages, pilgrims should set their preferred language early and keep the app updated. As always, only the official Nusuk platform should be used, and pilgrims should avoid third-party apps or agents claiming to offer equivalent services, as permits and guidance are issued solely through the ministry's own channels.