Saudi Arabia is moving forward in building one of the world's most ready and accessible artificial intelligence infrastructures, cementing its position as a trusted partner for enabling the digital economy and connecting East to West, according to remarks by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha during his speech at the opening of the LEAP East 2026 conference in Hong Kong.

Al-Swaha explained that LEAP, which launched from Riyadh five years ago, has become a global technology movement with a multiplier effect not only on the Kingdom and the region but also on the world, noting that the movement's expansion to the East reflects the region's importance as a pivotal hub for shaping the future of technology and artificial intelligence.

He pointed out that the East today represents an economy worth $34 trillion, approximately 30% of the global GDP, and includes a digital economy worth $10 trillion, along with 3.7 billion people representing about 46% of the world's population, stressing that the East not only has the size but is also building the true architecture of the AI era, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The minister noted that 82% of global AI patents originate from the East, 60% of the global semiconductor market is centered there, along with 90% of advanced chip manufacturing, making it a major hub for computing and AI engines globally.

Achievements in Numbers

Al-Swaha reviewed the Kingdom's achievements in recent years, stating that the Saudi digital economy grew by 75% over eight years to reach $139 billion, the non-oil sector's contribution to GDP rose to 16%, and the operational capacity of data centers jumped to 467 megawatts, representing 47% of the total capacity in the Middle East and North Africa region.

He affirmed that the empowerment of Saudi women is among the most prominent success stories globally, explaining that women's participation in the technical workforce rose from 7% to 35%, surpassing the average of the European Union and Silicon Valley, and that Saudi women lead the world in participation and empowerment in the field of artificial intelligence.

On the infrastructure side, he explained that the Kingdom is working to build 6.9 gigawatts of data center capacity by 2034, starting with 3 gigawatts by 2030, with 12.8 gigawatts of power currently available, making the Kingdom one of the fastest in the world in making energy available for computing and AI projects.

The minister emphasized that the Kingdom combines the three success factors of the AI era: computing, customers, and capital, noting that major global companies from the East have started building in the Kingdom, including ByteDance, Lenovo, and Tencent.

Advertisement

Advertisement