KACST Partners To Drive AI, Urban Innovation And Industrial Transformation In Saudi Arabia

The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology signed three new partnerships that deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, urban innovation, and industrial transformation. The agreements involve Saudi and international bodies, and are designed to expand advanced technologies in Saudi Arabia, support economic diversification, and help cities and industries apply modern digital systems linked to Saudi Vision 2030.

Through these partnerships, KACST aims to advance scientific research, encourage technology localisation, and expand the national knowledge-based economy. The focus ranges from artificial intelligence applications and large language models to smart city solutions and industrial automation, with the shared goal of strengthening Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional centre for data, research, and digital innovation.

KACST enhanced Saudi–Korean cooperation in artificial intelligence through a strategic agreement with NAVER Cloud Corporation. The partnership focuses on building a large language model that supports the Arabic language. The planned model will serve scientific and technological sectors, enable Arabic digital content and applications, and help confirm Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for AI and wider digital innovation.

The first partnership was concluded during the International Conference on Data and AI Capacity Building ICAN2026, between KACST, acting as the national lab and innovation parks, and the Madinah Regional Municipality. Under this cooperation, KACST becomes the research and advisory partner for the municipality’s Urban Lab project, helping design and test solutions for urban challenges and quality-of-life improvements.

As part of the Urban Lab role, KACST will help develop models that can be replicated in other Saudi cities. Successful approaches in Madinah are expected to be scaled across the Kingdom, supporting smarter urban planning and public services. The partnership aims to ensure that technology-based solutions are adaptable, practical, and aligned with the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

KACST artificial intelligence Saudi Arabia industrial transformation agreement

In the industrial field, KACST signed a trilateral strategic partnership with the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program and Rockwell Automation. The collaboration supports Saudi Arabia’s plans to become a major industrial power and global logistics hub by promoting scientific research, localising industrial technologies, and speeding up the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution tools and the Industrial Internet of Things.

The three agreements together show KACST’s approach to linking research with real-world applications in cities, factories, and digital platforms. By combining international partnerships with national programmes, the organisation supports Saudi Vision 2030 targets, strengthens local capabilities in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, and provides structured cooperation frameworks for Saudi Arabia’s public and private sectors.

With inputs from SPA