Global tech firms bet big on Saudi’s AI future

Saudi Arabia secured USD 14.9 billion in artificial intelligence investments on the opening day of LEAP 2025, marking a significant expansion of the Kingdom’s technology sector.

The technology conference, organised by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MICT) alongside the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP) and Tahaluf Company, unveiled major initiatives focused on AI infrastructure and digital innovation.

The largest investment announcement came from AI inference provider Groq and Aramco Digital, committing USD 1.5 billion to establish an AI inferencing centre aimed at serving over 4 billion users across the Middle East region.

HP Inc revealed plans for an AI and R&D Centre of Excellence in Dhahran, while Alat and Lenovo announced a USD 2 billion investment in an advanced AI and robotics manufacturing facility. Lenovo will also establish its regional headquarters in Riyadh.

Technology giants made substantial commitments, with Google planning AI infrastructure development, Alibaba Cloud launching a talent development programme with Tuwaiq Academy and STC, and Tencent Cloud pledging USD 150 million for its first regional cloud infrastructure with AI capabilities.

Additional investments include SambaNova’s USD 140 million commitment for AI infrastructure, Databricks’ USD 300 million Platform-as-a-Service development, and Salesforce’s USD 500 million Hyperforce platform project. KKR and Gulf Data Hub also announced plans for data centre development with 300 megawatts capacity.

Of the total investments announced, USD 10.9 billion is allocated specifically to infrastructure, AI development, and support for emerging companies, underlining Saudi Arabia’s push to become a regional technology hub.