Latest news with #NationalStrategyforDataandAI
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
In Saudi Arabia's transformation, Indian tech talent's becoming key
Prime Minister Modi was there last month. US president Donald Trump was there last week, helping put together a number of business deals, including agreements for parties in the country to acquire tens of thousands of semiconductors from Nvidia and AMD. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Saudi Arabia is the cynosure of all eyes today, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS as many call him, seeks to transform the country into a modern, diversified economy that is less reliant on oil. Technology is a central element of that diversification. Under MBS's Vision 2030 programme, the country is aggressively driving digital adoption across industries, attracting global talent, and trying to build an innovation-driven economy. Sectors such as banking, energy, tourism, gaming, and telecom are seeing rapid digitisation, supported by government-backed initiatives – such as the National Strategy for Data and AI, and the Cloud First Policy – and regulatory reforms that make it easier for companies and professionals to operate in the country. The $500-billion Neom project aims to build a futuristic city powered by AI, robotics, and smart infrastructure. Saajan Lathif, who moved to Saudi Arabia from Bengaluru and who is CEO & founder of Alwosta Group, a tech consultancy firm, has seen the changes firsthand. 'Ten years ago, Saudi Arabia was not very tech-forward. Under the leadership of MBS, the country's vision has changed. It is probably the fastest growing tech scene in the world,' he says. Growing cosmopolitanisation This shift has also altered global perceptions of Saudi Arabia as a work destination. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'When I first started recruiting, very few tech talent wanted to move here. Now, people from all over the world are coming for better job prospects. Safety is a big attraction,' Lathif says. Many of those coming are Indians. Saudi Arabia has eased business processes significantly. Setting up a company or securing a work visa used to take months, now it happens digitally in a fraction of the time. Adil Murtaza, general manager of Tech Mahindra Arabia, has worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. Earlier, he says, the job market was inclined towards talent from the US. 'Now, there is a desire to look for the best tech talent from India and Asian countries. There is a lot of respect for Indians now as more and more Indians are in white-collar jobs. A lot of Indian IT companies have moved here as well,' he says. Indians are also in leadership positions at major Saudi Arabian tech companies. DataVolt is a leading data centre operator, which during Trump's visit committed to invest $20 billion in AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the US. Its leadership is predominantly Indian; its CEO Rajit Nanda is an MBA from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. Finance sector transformation The financial technology sector is one of the most buzzing areas of transformation. Saudi banks are fast adopting digital technologies, focusing on automation, AI-driven solutions, and customer-centric innovations. Sandeep Chiber, EVP of sales & Revenue at Aurionpro Solutions, a global banking technology solutions firm, says the Middle East is a key growth market for the company, with Saudi Arabia at its centre. 'With Vision 2030 driving transformation, we've seen significant action around banking technology modernisation. We are enabling real-time cash and liquidity management, injecting AI into cash forecasting, and automating transaction banking, supply chain finance, and trade finance operations,' he says. Aurionpro has signed two major deals with leading Saudi banks. The fintech ecosystem is backed by initiatives such as Fintech Saudi, the Regulatory Sandbox, and the Open Banking Framework, which encourage innovation and new market entrants. Radical social changes A senior technology professional, who did not want to be named and who has worked in the kingdom for the last 15 years, notes that tourism, sports, energy, banking, and telecom sectors are all seeing major tech action. 'Experiential retail is a big opportunity here, with malls and brands using technology to create virtual and on-ground engagement experiences,' he says. The social landscape, he says, has also changed significantly, making Saudi Arabia a more attractive destination for professionals. 'There are malls and theatres, all cuisines are available, movies are now released on the same day as their global release. There are parks and amusement activities, and permitting women to drive has improved family mobility. You just need to respect the law of the land, and you can have a very good life here. Most importantly, it is secure – no knifing in markets or shooting in schools,' he says.
Leaders
13-04-2025
- Business
- Leaders
IMF: Saudi Arabia Secures Prestigious Position in Digital Infrastructure
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Saudi Arabia's pioneering status among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the digital infrastructure sphere, according to Saudi Gazette. The IMF emphasized that the Kingdom has the largest number of data centers among GCC countries. This remarkable milestone is driven by the Kingdom's rapid growth of data analysis and AI technologies under the leadership of its national digital entity, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Titled 'Digital Transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council Economies,' the IMF's recent study has lauded SDAIA's pivotal efforts in elevating the digital infrastructure through the National Strategy for Data and AI. Apart from this, the IMF has praised Saudi Arabia's issuance of the Personal Data Protection Law, emphasizing that such an important step stands as a testament to the Kingdom's dedication to maintaining strong data governance and privacy. In line with global standards, the law aims to provide a dynamic regulatory environment and protect individual and institutional rights. Through its strategic initiatives, SDAIA is currently leading and operating sustainable data centers that are certified by the global authority on data center classifications, the Uptime Institute. Importantly, the IMF also highlighted the Kingdom's remarkable success in launching a vast array of digital platforms that have played a crucial role in accelerating digital transformation. These platforms have also fulfilled objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 in promoting quality of life and boosting service reliability and accessibility. Related Topics: Saudi Arabia Soars as Global Economic Leader: Top IMF Official Shares Bold Insights IMF Applauds Saudi Arabia for Surpassing Vision 2030 Tourism Goals Short link : Post Views: 41
Arab News
06-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
How Saudi Arabia's mission to become a global AI hub sparked a race for tech talent
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's multibillion-dollar investment in artificial intelligence, which is central to its Vision 2030 economic transformation, faces a significant hurdle: a shortage of skilled professionals to drive the nation's high-tech ambitions. From cognitive cities such as NEOM to AI-driven healthcare innovations, the Kingdom's future depends on bridging this skills gap through the implementation of three key strategies: government-led policies, private-sector innovation, and expanded academic opportunities. A report titled 'The State of AI in Saudi Arabia,' published ahead of the 2024 GAIN Summit in Riyadh, highlighted the surging demand for expertise in the field, with AI-related job postings increasing by nearly 54 percent annually between 2018 and 2022. In 2019, the government established the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority to oversee the National Strategy for Data and AI, with the aim of training 20,000 specialists to ensure that Saudis can fill highly skilled AI roles by 2030. The Kingdom is already leading the region in AI strategy development, ranking first in the Arab world and 14th globally, according to a 2024 report by UNESCO. This confidence has translated into considerable investments. Saudi Arabia secured $1.79 billion in AI-focused funding at the 2025 LEAP tech conference last month, for example, reinforcing the country's status as a growing hub for innovation. The 2024 GAIN Summit report also revealed a 42 percent increase in the number of graduates in AI-related subjects between 2022 and 2023, reflecting the Kingdom's focus on the development of homegrown tech talent. At the academic level, 86 percent of Saudi universities now offer AI-focused undergraduate degrees, 56 percent have master's programs, and 9 percent provide opportunities to study for a doctorate. Central to the Kingdom's strategy is a reimagining of educational systems to cultivate AI technicians, blending technical rigor with real-world problem-solving to support the digital economy. Omar Alolayan, co-founder of Almutanabi FinTech, believes AI professionals must strengthen their skills in terms of business acumen, machine-learning operations, cross-functional collaboration, and data engineering. 'Training should focus on industry-specific AI, hands-on deployment, and cross-disciplinary learning to bridge these gaps,' he told Arab News, adding that scalable, accessible AI education is key to closing the talent divide. 'Strategies like online-learning platforms, AI hubs in rural areas, scholarships and mentorship programs can expand access. No-code AI tools also democratize learning for diverse groups, and inclusivity will be critical to sustaining the Kingdom's AI momentum.' Efforts to align education with workforce needs are already in motion. 'Schools like King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals have introduced flexible AI and data-science master's tracks, while government entities like SDAIA are funding nationwide boot camps for all skill levels,' Alolayan said. He stressed that collaboration is essential and added: 'Schools must update curricula, governments should incentivize training, and companies need to offer mentorship and reskilling opportunities.' The GAIN Summit report also noted that between 2019 and 2023, more than 38,000 students graduated with AI-related degrees, including computer science and engineering, 6,500 of whom studied abroad. Sultan Albarakati, executive director of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Academy, told Arab News: 'KAUST is progressively taking a more proactive role in workforce development in the Kingdom. 'It leverages massive open online courses and cloud resources to deliver practical, hands-on AI training at scale across the Kingdom.' KAUST partners with the public and private sectors to create tailored upskilling programs for Saudi professionals, he added. 'These training programs aim to democratize AI education and are run in partnership with national entities like NTDP (the National Technology Development Program),' Albarakati said. KAUST also helps connects top graduates with employers through annual showcases, and supports student-led startups through incubators. Bernard Ghanem, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of KAUST's Center of Excellence on Generative AI, described how the institution translates its cutting-edge research into tools that benefit key sectors in Saudi Arabia. 'Much of KAUST's AI research is open source, with tools and models made available to the public,' he told Arab News. 'Leveraging the world-class AI research at KAUST, the center aims to develop an easy-to-use, no-code platform for non-experts to use our open-source models.' Private enterprises are also accelerating the Kingdom's AI capabilities, through strategic investments and infrastructure projects. Alibaba Cloud, for example, has partnered with Tuwaiq Academy and STC to launch AI-training labs at Saudi universities. Databricks has pledged $300 million over the next five years to support AI and data adoption in the country. In 2023, SDAIA partnered with Google Cloud to launch the Elevate Program, a five-year initiative designed to train 1,000 women from 28 countries in machine learning, with plans to upskill more than 25,000 by 2028. Fadi Kanafani, general manager for the Middle East region at SoftServe, emphasized the important role such partnerships play in striking a balance between the retention of local talent and the utilization of international expertise. 'Retaining top AI talent while attracting global expertise requires a multifaceted approach that combines research incentives, industry collaboration and career-development opportunities,' he told Arab News. He also noted that initiatives such as grants and fellowships for AI research could incentivize Saudi professionals to lead groundbreaking projects while attracting international experts. 'Establishing AI hubs within giga-projects like NEOM can foster collaboration between local and global talent, creating an ecosystem where innovation thrives,' Kanafani said. Career-acceleration programs, developed with partners such as Aramco and the Ministry of Investment, are also vital for efforts to provide Saudis with world-class domestic opportunities, he added.
