The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thanks to the continuous support and empowerment of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister - may God protect him - has become the ideal partner at the global level to bridge the computing gap and shape the features of the future of the smart era.
Al-Sawah’s remarks came during his active participation in a dialogue session entitled “Integrating Technologies to Achieve Leadership,” which was held as part of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where economic leaders and decision-makers meet to shape future global policies.
The pillars of Saudi leadership
His Excellency explained that the Kingdom is working steadily to solidify its position as a pivotal global computing hub in the age of artificial intelligence. He based his remarks on the Kingdom's strategic advantages, which include an abundance of diverse and clean energy sources, the availability of venture capital, vast geographical areas, and long-term strategic planning. These factors combined enable innovators and investors to accelerate access to economic value and achieve sustainable growth that benefits humanity and protects the planet.
The context of digital transformation and Vision 2030
These moves come within the context of the Kingdom's massive economic transformation under the umbrella of "Vision 2030," which aims to diversify income sources and reduce dependence on oil through investment in emerging technologies and the digital economy. Artificial intelligence and cloud computing are key pillars of this vision, as the Kingdom seeks to become a logistics and technology hub connecting three continents.
An ambition that transcends limits
Al-Swaha emphasized that the Kingdom's ambition extends beyond empowering its local institutions and sectors; it encompasses a global vision that positions Saudi Arabia as a model testing ground and a launchpad for international innovators and investors. He highlighted a crucial economic equation, asserting that every dollar invested in digital infrastructure generates many times that amount in the software sector and its application use cases, thereby bolstering global economic prosperity.
Figures reflecting regional leadership
In numerical terms, His Excellency pointed out that the Kingdom today represents a significant force in the region, accounting for approximately 50% of the digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa. The Kingdom has also attracted half of the venture capital funding in the region and is home to a large number of unicorns. These efforts culminated in the World Economic Forum ranking the Kingdom first and second globally in its digital growth indicators, confirming its readiness to actively contribute to realizing the future economic value of the artificial intelligence era.
Al-Sawah concluded his speech by emphasizing that the Kingdom, with the support of the wise leadership, is not only participating in the smart era, but is leading the shaping of its features globally through building strategic international partnerships and empowering people.
