Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., in collaboration with HUMAIN, has announced a significant investment of over $5 billion to establish a groundbreaking “AI Zone” in Saudi Arabia. This initiative aims to integrate advanced AWS AI infrastructure and services, including dedicated servers with top-tier semiconductors and UltraCluster networks, to enhance AI training and application capabilities. The AI Zone is intended to support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global leader in artificial intelligence.

The formation of the AI Zone aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its goals for economic transformation. Previously, AWS had also revealed plans to build an AWS infrastructure region in Saudi Arabia, which is set to launch in 2026, with a commitment of approximately $5.3 billion (about SAR19.88 billion) for its development. This new AI Zone serves as an additional investment to stimulate local and global demand for advanced AI services in the Kingdom.

AWS will provide its advanced server and network infrastructure alongside its AI and machine learning services, including Amazon Sagemaker AI and Amazon Bedrock. These services will empower businesses and government organizations in Saudi Arabia to develop generative AI applications with a strong emphasis on security, privacy, and responsible AI practices. Moreover, Amazon Q, regarded as the leading coding assistant, will enable organizations to create AI-powered tools that can perform various tasks based on enterprise data.

HUMAIN is set to leverage AWS technologies to create innovative AI solutions for end users and is also planning to develop a unified AI agent marketplace. This marketplace will facilitate the discovery, deployment, and management of AI software for the Saudi government while promoting the growth of Large Language Models (LLMs), including Arabic Large Language Models (ALLaM).

Key sectors in Saudi Arabia, such as government, healthcare, and education, are expected to undergo significant transformations as a result of this initiative. The AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, in partnership with HUMAIN, aims to enhance productivity and personalize services across these sectors, benefiting everyone from startups to government agencies.

His Excellency Eng. Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, expressed gratitude to AWS for reinforcing their long-term partnership and highlighted that this collaboration lays the groundwork for a new intelligent era in Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, AWS and HUMAIN are focused on boosting the AI startup ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, providing entrepreneurs with access to a wide range of cloud technology and support programs. AWS has already assisted over 330 000 startups globally, and this partnership is expected to further invigorate the local startup landscape. According to MAGNiTT, Saudi Arabia’s startups received $750 million in venture capital in 2024, the largest share in the Middle East and North Africa.

Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, stated that the collaboration to establish an AI Zone will foster innovation across various industries, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and enabling economic growth through advanced AI technologies.

In alignment with its commitment to accelerate cloud adoption in Saudi Arabia, AWS is expanding its training initiatives to develop skills in generative AI. In partnership with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), AWS aims to train 100 000 Saudi citizens in cloud computing and AI skills, focusing on the latest AWS certifications in these areas. The training will be delivered through the Amazon Academy, which offers free certifications to participants.

To further enhance workforce participation, AWS has launched the “AWS Saudi Arabia Women’s Skills Initiative,” targeting the upskilling of 10 000 women in cloud computing, with no associated costs for participants.

Forecasts suggest that Saudi Arabia will capture a significant portion of the projected economic benefits of AI in the Middle East, with an estimated contribution of $130 billion to its economy by 2030. This positions Saudi Arabia at the forefront of a regional movement to innovate public services and enterprises using AI technologies in the cloud. Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN, emphasized that the partnership with AWS marks a crucial step towards establishing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in AI, attracting investment and talent to propel its digital transformation agenda.