KACST signs 3 strategic partnerships for artificial intelligence and industry
In a significant step reflecting the accelerating pace of digital transformation in Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) signed three major strategic partnerships today with local and international entities on the sidelines of the International Conference on Capacity Building in Data and Artificial Intelligence. These agreements aim to solidify the Kingdom's position as a regional and global hub for innovation, focusing on enhancing artificial intelligence capabilities, developing smart urban solutions, and driving industrial transformation.
Strategic context and ambitious vision
These advanced moves by KAUST align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes the knowledge economy and technological innovation. For years, the Kingdom has been working to build a robust digital infrastructure, with investment in data and artificial intelligence being a cornerstone for diversifying income sources away from oil. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) plays a pivotal role as the national laboratory for research and development, striving to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications that serve vital sectors.
Smart partnership with Medina
In the first phase, KAUST signed a cooperation agreement with the Madinah Region Municipality. This partnership aims to activate the city's role as a research and consulting entity for the "Urban Lab" project. This step is significant because Madinah is one of the cities targeted to become a global model for smart cities. This collaboration will contribute to developing technological solutions for contemporary urban challenges, such as crowd management, smart transportation, and environmental sustainability, which will positively impact the quality of life for residents and visitors and pave the way for replicating these successful models in other cities across the Kingdom.
Fourth Industrial Revolution led by nationalism
In support of the industrial sector, KACST has entered into a strategic tripartite partnership with the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) and Rockwell Automation. This agreement focuses on accelerating the adoption of Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. The partnership is expected to enhance the efficiency of Saudi factories, reduce operating costs, and increase the competitiveness of Saudi products in global markets, thereby strengthening the Kingdom's position as a leading logistics and industrial hub in the Middle East.
Digital sovereignty and the Arabic language
The third partnership carried significant international and cultural dimensions, as KACST strengthened Saudi-Korean cooperation through an agreement with Naver Cloud Corporation. This ambitious partnership aims to develop a Large Language Model (LLM) specifically for the Arabic language. This step is crucial given the dominance of Western models in traditional artificial intelligence technologies; this advanced model will enable a highly accurate understanding of Arabic cultural and linguistic contexts, thus supporting Arabic digital content and providing sovereign AI tools for researchers and developers in the Arab region.
These three partnerships are not just cooperation agreements, but fundamental building blocks in building an innovation-based economy, and they confirm the Kingdom’s commitment to empowering scientists and researchers with the tools necessary to create a bright technological future.
