Saudi Arabia Targets Silicon Valley in Drive to Build AI Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia is deepening its push to become a major player in advanced computing, with Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha holding a series of high-profile meetings with top US technology and investment leaders during a visit to California.
The talks on September 9, held with executives from OpenAI, Dell Technologies, Cognition AI, Solidigm, Social Capital, Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, covered new partnerships, expanding computing infrastructure, advanced applications and robotics, and drawing fresh investment into the Kingdom, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The outreach comes as Saudi Arabia builds out the digital backbone needed to support large-scale technology deployment. Internet penetration hit 99.6 percent in 2025, and median mobile download speeds reached 216 Mbps, placing the country among the top five in the G20. Data center capacity has climbed to 290.5 megawatts, backed by ongoing expansion of telecom networks, submarine cables and computing infrastructure.
Central to the strategy is Humain, a company backed by the Public Investment Fund that is building the computing capacity to support the Kingdom’s ambitions. The firm has already begun delivering production-scale capacity using advanced processors and networking equipment, serving customers both inside Saudi Arabia and abroad. Plans call for up to 250 megawatts of new infrastructure by 2027, with a joint venture aiming for as much as 1 gigawatt by 2030.
With OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Al-Swaha discussed expanding cooperation on advanced models and putting Humain’s computing capabilities to use for national applications in priority sectors. Talks with Dell Technologies chief Michael Dell centered on enterprise adoption and integrating Dell’s AI Factory solutions with Humain’s infrastructure, along with knowledge transfer to build local expertise.
The minister also met Cognition AI’s Scott Wu to discuss expanding autonomous software tools and running products like Devin on Humain’s infrastructure, and spoke with Solidigm’s Kyle Fukuda about deploying advanced storage technology across the Kingdom’s data centers.
On the investment side, Social Capital’s Chamath Palihapitiya, Sequoia Capital’s Alfred Lin and Andreessen Horowitz’s Ben Horowitz each discussed channeling venture capital toward Saudi startups and deep-tech companies, and connecting portfolio firms with Humain’s computing resources. A day earlier, Al-Swaha met TenX Semi chief Suk Hwan Lim to explore using autonomous tools in chip design to strengthen the Kingdom’s semiconductor capabilities.
Officials describe the effort as part of a broader plan to build an integrated technology ecosystem spanning models, computing power, data centers, applications and robotics one intended to boost the competitiveness of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy and position the country as a regional hub for innovation.
Iwona Safi, founder and CEO of Sustainable Global Impact and a UNDP Global Policy Network expert, said the scale of these partnerships could help Saudi Arabia shift from simply importing technology to building its own ecosystem. She said the opportunity lies in becoming a regional hub for advanced computing and innovation, which could draw higher-value investment and spur local entrepreneurship.
Safi added that the lasting impact will depend on whether the deals bring genuine knowledge transfer, research and development, and opportunities for local talent and small businesses factors that will determine whether the partnerships translate into skills and value that stay within the Kingdom.
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