The Saudi Arabian industrial landscape is set to transform with the introduction of an innovative hub dedicated to artificial intelligence. The AI Center of Excellence for Manufacturing and Mining was recently unveiled by Bandar bin Ibrahim AlKhorayef, the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, alongside Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). The establishment of this center is part of a strategic initiative to advance the Kingdom’s status as a dominant industrial power and a pivotal global logistics hub.
The center is designed to create a collaborative environment where specialists in industry and mining can come together to embrace AI technologies. This convergence aims to enhance the domain expertise and proficiency in data and AI at a national scale. This initiative stems from a cooperative agreement between the Ministry of Industry and SDAIA, outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed in 2022. The partnership’s goal is to amplify Saudi Arabia’s profile on international data and AI platforms, improve its standings in global rankings, and promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise.
The announcement of the center’s launch coincided with the first Global Smart Cities Forum, a prestigious event hosted in Riyadh from February 12 to 13, 2024.