Saudi Arabia unveils $15B in AI deals at LEAP tech summit
Together AI, AWS, and xAI commitments signal kingdom's push to rival UAE as regional artificial intelligence hub.
Saudi Arabia used its flagship LEAP technology conference to announce $15 billion in artificial intelligence investments and partnerships, underscoring the kingdom's determination to establish itself as the Gulf's dominant AI hub.
The conference, which opened Monday after a four-month delay caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict, featured commitments from major global players. San Francisco-based AI cloud platform Together AI signed an agreement with Saudi-backed HUMAIN to construct a 250-megawatt AI data center expected to generate more than $5 billion in gross annualized revenue during its first year of operation.
Amazon Web Services expanded its partnership with HUMAIN, the primary vehicle for Saudi AI ambitions, to provide up to 50 megawatts of capacity in the kingdom's first AI Zone by 2028. Elon Musk's xAI announced plans for its first data center outside the United States, initially targeting 50 megawatts before scaling to 500 megawatts.
Why it matters
The scale of these commitments reflects intensifying competition among Gulf states to capture AI infrastructure investment and talent. Saudi Arabia is directly challenging the UAE's early lead in positioning itself as the region's technology center. The kingdom's ability to attract senior executives from NVIDIA, Google, Meta, and other tech giants despite ongoing regional instability demonstrates its growing influence in global AI development.
Rapid digital economy expansion
Since LEAP's 2022 launch, Saudi Arabia's digital economy has expanded 69 percent, growing from $118 billion to $199 billion, according to the kingdom's Communications and Information Technology Ministry. This year's event drew 1,800 global technology brands exploring applications across AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, smart cities, fintech, healthcare, space, gaming, and mobility.
The timing of these announcements is significant. The conference delay highlighted how regional conflict can disrupt even well-established business events, yet the strong turnout and deal flow suggest technology companies view Saudi Arabia as a stable long-term investment destination despite geopolitical volatility.
HUMAIN's central role in multiple partnerships indicates Saudi Arabia is pursuing a coordinated national strategy rather than allowing fragmented private-sector competition. This approach mirrors successful technology hub development in other markets where government coordination accelerated infrastructure buildout and attracted anchor tenants.
The details were first reported by Fortune's AI Watch newsletter.
This is an original analysis by the Omega editorial team. Source reporting: AI Watch.
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