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Saudi Arabia Secures $14.9 Billion in AI Investments at LEAP 2025 Conference
Major technological investments highlighted at the inaugural day of the LEAP 2025 Tech Conference in Riyadh further establish the Kingdom's role in global digital transformation.
Investments and projects exceeding $14.9 billion were revealed in the artificial intelligence sector, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's burgeoning influence in the digital landscape.
The announcements occurred on the opening day of the LEAP 2025 Tech Conference held at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center on Sunday.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Alswaha, announced the substantial financial commitments as the conference commenced.
LEAP 2025, themed 'Into New Worlds', is set to run until Wednesday, gathering international leaders in technology and innovation to solidify Saudi Arabia's position as a pivotal hub for digital transformation and a prime destination for technological investments.
This edition of LEAP aims to reaffirm Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to lead the global AI sector and attract leading technological enterprises.
In his keynote address, Alswaha attributed these considerable investments to the backing of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
He asserted that such initiatives are designed to bolster the technology sector and expedite the Kingdom’s movement towards a sustainable, AI-driven economy, in alignment with the Vision 2030 framework.
According to Alswaha, the region's digital economy has expanded by 73%, reaching $260 billion, with Saudi Arabia accounting for half of this growth.
The number of technical specialists in the country has surged from 150,000 to 381,000, demonstrating the significant advancement in technology and innovation.
Alswaha also addressed the challenge of narrowing the digital divide between nations during what has been termed the 'smart era.' He highlighted the Kingdom's commitment to empowering women in technology, emphasizing the risks of a widening gap between the Global North and South, predicting that by 2030, between one to two billion people may benefit from this emerging digital economy, while upwards of 6.5 billion may be left behind.
During the conference, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed Al-Rajhi, introduced several digital products aimed at facilitating digital transformation within the ministry and enhancing beneficiary service quality.
He noted that the launch of these products aligns with the ministry's overarching digital transformation strategy under Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to advance digital services, ensure secure access for users, and promote technological innovation across the Kingdom.
Newly unveiled digital platforms include the 'Virtual Branch,' 'Digital Platform for Childcare,' and 'Social Development Platform,' all intended to encourage community engagement and broaden service accessibility without requiring in-person visits to facilities.
Within the context of the $14.9 billion investment in AI, over $10.9 billion has been allocated specifically for infrastructure development, AI initiatives, and support for emerging enterprises.
These allocations are intended to bolster digital skills, nurture the growth of technology startups, and enhance innovation in Saudi Arabia, thereby reinforcing its status as the leading digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
LEAP 2025 is organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), and Tahaluf Company, with support from the Events Investment Fund.
The opening day of the event featured announcements of multiple high-profile investments and projects focused on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital transformation.
Major investments disclosed include Groq & Aramco Digital's $1.5 billion investment aimed at enhancing AI-powered cloud computing capabilities.
Alat & Lenovo announced a $2 billion investment to establish a manufacturing and technology center based on AI and robotics and to open a regional headquarters in Riyadh.
Google detailed plans for an AI infrastructure investment with the creation of a global AI hub in Saudi Arabia to cater to growing regional and international needs.
Qualcomm introduced the ALLaM language model on its AI Cloud, alongside the ALLaM AI PC, which facilitates cloud-based AI solutions for developers.
Alibaba Cloud unveiled an AI empowerment initiative in collaboration with Tuwaiq Academy and STC aimed at training local talent in advanced technologies.
Databricks committed $300 million toward Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions, with the goal of supporting application developers and fostering expertise in data engineering and AI. Moreover, SambaNova pledged $140 million for the development of advanced AI infrastructure in the Kingdom.
KKR & Gulf Data Hub announced investments for data center development in Saudi Arabia, potentially providing up to 300 megawatts of capacity to enhance cloud computing and AI capabilities.
Salesforce declared a $500 million investment to expand its Hyperforce platform for regional customers, while Tencent Cloud committed $150 million to establish its inaugural cloud region in the Middle East, launching operations from Saudi Arabia with integrated AI features.
The announcements occurred on the opening day of the LEAP 2025 Tech Conference held at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center on Sunday.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Alswaha, announced the substantial financial commitments as the conference commenced.
LEAP 2025, themed 'Into New Worlds', is set to run until Wednesday, gathering international leaders in technology and innovation to solidify Saudi Arabia's position as a pivotal hub for digital transformation and a prime destination for technological investments.
This edition of LEAP aims to reaffirm Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to lead the global AI sector and attract leading technological enterprises.
In his keynote address, Alswaha attributed these considerable investments to the backing of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
He asserted that such initiatives are designed to bolster the technology sector and expedite the Kingdom’s movement towards a sustainable, AI-driven economy, in alignment with the Vision 2030 framework.
According to Alswaha, the region's digital economy has expanded by 73%, reaching $260 billion, with Saudi Arabia accounting for half of this growth.
The number of technical specialists in the country has surged from 150,000 to 381,000, demonstrating the significant advancement in technology and innovation.
Alswaha also addressed the challenge of narrowing the digital divide between nations during what has been termed the 'smart era.' He highlighted the Kingdom's commitment to empowering women in technology, emphasizing the risks of a widening gap between the Global North and South, predicting that by 2030, between one to two billion people may benefit from this emerging digital economy, while upwards of 6.5 billion may be left behind.
During the conference, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed Al-Rajhi, introduced several digital products aimed at facilitating digital transformation within the ministry and enhancing beneficiary service quality.
He noted that the launch of these products aligns with the ministry's overarching digital transformation strategy under Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to advance digital services, ensure secure access for users, and promote technological innovation across the Kingdom.
Newly unveiled digital platforms include the 'Virtual Branch,' 'Digital Platform for Childcare,' and 'Social Development Platform,' all intended to encourage community engagement and broaden service accessibility without requiring in-person visits to facilities.
Within the context of the $14.9 billion investment in AI, over $10.9 billion has been allocated specifically for infrastructure development, AI initiatives, and support for emerging enterprises.
These allocations are intended to bolster digital skills, nurture the growth of technology startups, and enhance innovation in Saudi Arabia, thereby reinforcing its status as the leading digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
LEAP 2025 is organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), and Tahaluf Company, with support from the Events Investment Fund.
The opening day of the event featured announcements of multiple high-profile investments and projects focused on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital transformation.
Major investments disclosed include Groq & Aramco Digital's $1.5 billion investment aimed at enhancing AI-powered cloud computing capabilities.
Alat & Lenovo announced a $2 billion investment to establish a manufacturing and technology center based on AI and robotics and to open a regional headquarters in Riyadh.
Google detailed plans for an AI infrastructure investment with the creation of a global AI hub in Saudi Arabia to cater to growing regional and international needs.
Qualcomm introduced the ALLaM language model on its AI Cloud, alongside the ALLaM AI PC, which facilitates cloud-based AI solutions for developers.
Alibaba Cloud unveiled an AI empowerment initiative in collaboration with Tuwaiq Academy and STC aimed at training local talent in advanced technologies.
Databricks committed $300 million toward Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions, with the goal of supporting application developers and fostering expertise in data engineering and AI. Moreover, SambaNova pledged $140 million for the development of advanced AI infrastructure in the Kingdom.
KKR & Gulf Data Hub announced investments for data center development in Saudi Arabia, potentially providing up to 300 megawatts of capacity to enhance cloud computing and AI capabilities.
Salesforce declared a $500 million investment to expand its Hyperforce platform for regional customers, while Tencent Cloud committed $150 million to establish its inaugural cloud region in the Middle East, launching operations from Saudi Arabia with integrated AI features.
