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  • Google Cloud and Accenture launch Generative AI Center of Excellence in Saudi Arabia

    Google Cloud and Accenture are extending their pan-global Generative AI collaboration into the Saudi market, launching their latest Center of Excellence in the Kingdom’s capital city. First launched late 2023 in the US, the Generative AI Center of Excellence of Accenture and Google Cloud provides businesses with the industry expertise, technical knowledge, and product resources to build and scale applications using Google Cloud’s generative AI portfolio and accelerate time-to-value. Fast forward to today, and Accenture and Google Cloud have setup over a dozen such Generative AI Center of Excellences, including in New York, London, Bengaluru, and Sydney. Now, Saudi Arabia has been unveiled as the next location (and first in the Middle East), with the initiative set to provide a major boost to the Kingdom’s generative AI scene.

  • Saudi Arabia advances FinTech goals with Google Pay integration

    The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has partnered with Google to introduce Google Pay in Saudi Arabia through the national payment system “mada,” with the service set to launch in 2025. This collaboration is part of SAMA’s strategic efforts to enhance the Kingdom’s digital payments ecosystem in line with Saudi Vision 2030, according to FF News. By introducing advanced digital payment solutions, SAMA aims to reduce cash dependency, foster financial innovation, and establish a world-class infrastructure that aligns with global standards.

  • Google Pay to launch in Saudi Arabia in 2025

    The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has partnered with Google to introduce Google Pay in Saudi Arabia during 2025 via the national payment system mada. Google Pay will offer users a secure and seamless way to make purchases in stores, on apps, and online. It will also allow users to conveniently add and manage their cards through Google Wallet, ensuring enhanced convenience and safety.

  • Beyond oil: Google’s big bet on Saudi Arabia’s AI future

    In a landmark move signaling the growing importance of the Middle East in the global tech landscape, Google has entered into a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. Google Cloud and PIF announced the agreement, which would see the establishment of a new artificial intelligence (AI) hub in Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative 8th Edition (FII8) conference in Riyadh. The hub, to be located near Dammam in the Eastern Province, will feature the latest Google Cloud infrastructure, including tensor processing units (TPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs). The partnership aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global AI leader, drive advancements in Arabic language AI models, and create thousands of jobs in the technology sector. The partnership underscores the “growing interlink” between AI and energy, as Saudi Arabia — along with the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states — uses its energy surplus to power data centers, a critical pillar of AI infrastructure. This energy advantage makes the region increasingly attractive to tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Amazon.

  • Google’s new AI hub in Saudi Arabia aims to add $71 billion to local economy

    The establishment of the hub is anticipated to contribute as much as $71 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy. This projection underscores the significant economic potential tied to embracing advanced AI applications. The agreement is anticipated to speed up the integration of AI—specifically in Arabic—within major sectors such as healthcare, retail, and financial services across Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Africa, and “around the world,” Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google and Alphabet, stated. “As part of Saudi Arabia’s rich technology ecosystem, we aim to create highly skilled jobs for Saudis and opportunities for global businesses to fuel growth through cloud adoption,” she added.

  • PIF partners with Google Cloud to create AI hub in Saudi Arabia

    The partnership will provide AI training for millions of Saudi students and professionals, supporting the national objective of expanding the information and communication technology sector by 50 percent. Through Google Cloud’s technology, industries will have enhanced access to AI applications, enabling growth and capacity building. The agreement, subject to regulatory approvals, also includes joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications.

  • PIF and Google Cloud to create advanced AI hub in Saudi Arabia

    The landmark partnership, which was signed at the Future Investment Initiative 8th Edition (FII8), further establishes Saudi Arabia as a global hub and top AI destination for local and global enterprises and startups. This partnership aims to develop the Saudi workforce through AI programs for millions of students and professionals, supporting the national objective of growing the information and communication technology (ICT) sector by 50%.

  • Saudi Arabia National Day 2024 – Google Doodle

    Today’s Doodle celebrates Saudi Arabia’s National Day! On this day in 1932, Saudi citizens celebrated the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

  • Google Cloud expands services in Saudi Arabia, delivering enhanced data sovereignty and AI capabilities

    Building on the launch of the Google Cloud region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in November 2023, we are excited to announce new data sovereignty, security, and AI capabilities for the Dammam region. These new offerings can help support the digital transformation journeys of organizations operating in Saudi Arabia that need to meet certain regulatory requirements, including multinational enterprises operating in the Kingdom.

  • New Google collaboration advances AI research in Saudi Arabia

    Google announced $100,000 in seed research grants to AI researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology ( KAUST) faculty in Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) to advance research in multilingual, multimodal machine learning, specifically in the use of generative and large language models (LLMs). The researchers will advance research in topics including health, cross-cultural language understanding, sustainability, privacy and education.