Saudi Arabia puts AI at the core of its digital transformation: deputy minister

Arab News

11-02-2025

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia continues to prioritize artificial intelligence as a cornerstone of its digital transformation, a top official said.
In an interview with Arab News during the third edition of LEAP 2025, Mohammed Robayan, deputy minister for technology at the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, stated that the Kingdom is dedicated to ensuring robust computing infrastructure to fuel AI-driven innovation and economic diversification.
He underscored that AI is at the heart of Saudi Arabia's digital transformation strategy, with unwavering support from the nation's leadership, government agencies, and the private sector.
'It's all about AI. It's top of mind of our leadership. It's top of mind of our ministry, of the different government entities that we collaborate with to achieve this agenda,' Robayan said.
He continued: 'It's also top of mind of the private sector, which is extremely important, so AI is really important. We have to make sure that this computing power is available to our ecosystem here in Saudi Arabia. I would say this is the No.1 agenda item that we're tackling.'
Robayan also emphasized that a flourishing startup ecosystem is a vital element of the nation's long-term digital strategy. He highlighted that supporting startups is key to cultivating a pipeline of companies with the potential to become unicorns—startups valued at over $1 billion.
'But another important part is the startup ecosystem here in Saudi Arabia. This is extremely important. This feeds into the pipeline of companies that eventually graduate to become unicorns,' Robayan said.
He added: 'We have seven unicorns already in the market, and you need to build the pipeline… We have multiple initiatives that we are working on.
Robayan went on to say: 'We have the National Technology Development Program. We have the Garage. They have been extremely helpful. They're pumping a lot of money into this tech sector here in Saudi, and this has resulted in jobs, which is a big priority for us.'
The Kingdom is also experiencing substantial private sector investments in AI and technology, which are crucial for bolstering computational capacity and supporting economic diversification under Vision 2030. According to Robayan, these investments will play a pivotal role in reshaping Saudi Arabia's technology landscape.
'These will enable us to, first of all, have different computer power that is necessary for the Kingdom to advance in its agenda. This is one of the highest priorities, technology and the adoption of technology,' he said.
He said the these initiatives will have a profound impact on the Kingdom and its efforts to diversify away from oil.
Additionally, ensuring a balanced regulatory framework is a key focus for the Ministry, as it strives to foster investment while protecting innovation.
'With regulation, you don't want to overdo it—just enough to avoid stifling innovation. Protecting investments and ensuring the democratization of AI and compute power is critical,' Robayan said.
Cybersecurity is another top priority, with Saudi Arabia positioning itself as a global leader in cyber defense. Robayan stressed that collaboration with the National Cyber Security Agency plays a critical role in ensuring regulatory requirements are met early, offering clear guidelines for investors.
'Cybersecurity is extremely important, and you can imagine why and Saudi Arabia is one of the top-ranking countries in cybersecurity. This is also part of the education of the investors throughout the journey prior to announcing different investments. We don't want any surprises to happen for them or for the market,' he said.
The Kingdom has already secured nearly $15 billion in tech investments announced at LEAP 2025, with more to come. Robayan hinted at upcoming initiatives to further accelerate the Kingdom's digital transformation.