CARMA FII9: Global Media Coverage Surges 40%; AI Dominates

CARMA, the global leader in media intelligence and reputation analysis, unveiled its first FII Global Insights Report during an exclusive seminar at the Capital Club, DIFC, where leaders from investment, communication, and finance convened to explore the shifting global perception of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

Opening the session, Mazen Nahawi, Founder and Group CEO of CARMA, emphasised how the world’s view of the Kingdom continues to evolve: “The Future Investment Initiative continues to redefine how the world views Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation, not as an aspiration but as a tangible reality backed by delivery and execution.”

The session also featured Mazen Nahawi, Founder and Group CEO of CARMA, Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large at AGBI; and Jade Mamarbachi, Partner at Brunswick. Moderated by Nigel Sillitoe, CEO of Insight Discovery, the discussion offered a comparative look at how global media engaged with the Future Investment Initiative 2025 versus previous editions, unpacking the themes that shaped international dialogue this year and illustrating how perspectives differed across regions according to their strategic priorities.

The conversation also delved into why the ‘Progress’ theme resonated so strongly in the 2025 edition, and how it helped elevate the initiative’s global presence while reinforcing its status as a platform that actively shapes the future. The findings point to an exceptionally strong year for FII, with global media coverage increasing by more than 40% year-on-year. This growth was propelled by narratives focused on artificial intelligence, long-term economic transformation, and Saudi Arabia’s expanding influence in global diplomacy and innovation.

CARMA’s analysis examined over 16,000 international media articles and more than 26,000 social media posts published between 1 October and 3 November 2025. Together, these sources revealed how FII9 expanded its global footprint across both traditional and digital platforms.

International social engagement increased from 33% during FII8 to 42% during FII9, while traditional media visibility remained consistently strong at 30%. This balance between mainstream and social coverage demonstrates a dual-channel momentum that continues to widen FII’s global influence, as more content creators, analysts, and institutions amplify the event’s conversations on AI leadership, frontier technologies, sustainable investment, and cross-border economic cooperation.

One of the most significant findings relates to sentiment. CARMA’s data confirms that 56% of global coverage about FII9 carried a positive tone, marking a substantial increase in confidence across international outlets. Coverage from organisations such as Bloomberg, CNBC, and Reuters highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leadership in AI, its expanding investment strategy, and the delivery of high-value partnerships that underpin long-term economic diversification. Social media channels, including LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, and X, produced a fact-driven and largely balanced narrative, with commentators focusing on high-profile announcements, new partnerships, and insights from global CEOs and policymakers attending the event.

The report further reveals that ‘progress’ became the defining storyline of FII9, generating nearly 23,000 media mentions, making it the most dominant concept associated with the event, and nearly four times more prevalent than ‘innovation’ and ‘fragmentation’ combined. Coverage consistently portrayed FII9 as a platform where measurable outcomes took precedence over theoretical discussion, framing the event as a catalyst for new international collaborations, accelerated investment activity, and strategic policy dialogue. This narrative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader trajectory under Vision 2030, where global perception is increasingly shaped by delivery and long-term credibility.

CARMA’s FII Global Insights Report draws on advanced AI-powered sentiment tracking, proprietary media monitoring systems, and human-validated analysis spanning global media, high-engagement social platforms, multi-market public surveys, and AI search trend patterns. This methodological depth provides one of the most comprehensive, multi-dimensional evaluations available of how FII influences international reputation and investment discourse. The findings reflect a clear shift toward recognition of Saudi Arabia’s determined efforts to advance economic progress, foster innovation, and deepen cultural and diplomatic ties across global markets.

Readers interested in receiving the full FII Global Insights Report upon its release can pre-subscribe via the post-event landing page here:

https://carma.com/industry-reports/fii-global-insights-report-2025/