Saudi Arabia Invests $14.9 Billion in AI Through Global Tech Partnerships
Saudi Arabia has committed $14.9 billion toward artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives by collaborating with major technology firms, including Google, Lenovo, and Alibaba, as part of its ambition to establish itself as a regional AI powerhouse.
Key AI Investments Announced in Riyadh
During a tech conference in Riyadh on February 9, Saudi Minister Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha unveiled a series of investments and projects aimed at expanding the country’s AI, emerging technology, and cloud sectors. The initiative involves partnerships with global tech giants such as Google Cloud, Lenovo, Alibaba Cloud, Qualcomm, Groq, and Salesforce.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision for AI Growth
Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Aramco, emphasized the importance of collaboration in AI development:
“Our business is all about scale. That’s why partnerships are essential—no single company can fully unlock AI’s potential alone. It requires a collective effort to implement the necessary technologies.”
Aramco, ranked among the world’s top seven companies by market capitalization, is working alongside leading technology firms to strengthen AI infrastructure in the region.
Major AI Partnerships and Investments
- Aramco & Groq: A $1.5 billion partnership to develop AI-driven cloud computing capabilities.
- Alat & Lenovo: A $2 billion investment to establish an AI and robotics-based manufacturing and technology hub in Saudi Arabia, with Lenovo also setting up a regional headquarters in Riyadh.
- Google, Qualcomm, & Alibaba Cloud: Launched localized AI innovation initiatives to support Saudi Arabia’s AI ecosystem.
- Salesforce, Databricks, Tencent Cloud & SambaNova: Announced AI investments worth $500 million, $300 million, $150 million, and $140 million, respectively.
Expanding AI in the Middle East
Beyond Saudi Arabia, AI development is gaining momentum across the Middle East. In a separate but related move, stablecoin issuer Tether recently partnered with UAE-based real estate platform Reelly Tech to facilitate property transactions using its USDT stablecoin.
These AI-driven investments reinforce Saudi Arabia’s commitment to becoming a leading player in AI innovation, with global tech firms playing a pivotal role in shaping the country’s digital transformation.
