Artificial intelligence is Saudi Arabia’s new dream
One of the most important aspects of the commercial battles between developed and developing countries is their investments in AI-related infrastructure. Previously, we talked about the extensive range of activities by major American tech companies to provide the immense energy needed for AI systems and discussed the massive investments by some large companies in specific countries to create and develop their systems.
Among these, one of the most significant topics in this field is the intense and historical competition between the United States and China. Due to U.S. sanctions and restrictions, China has found itself in a unique position and has been deprived of a significant portion of AI hardware and software. The Chinese have addressed this shortage by purchasing from secondary sources at several times the price and have responded to U.S. restrictions by limiting the export of precious metals needed for semiconductors. These restrictions are costly for the Chinese but have also caused problems for other countries, one of which is Saudi Arabia, which is making a massive investment in the field of artificial intelligence and must navigate legal trade barriers in the U.S.
The Saudis, who have established a special organization in the field of artificial intelligence and have been planning in this area for some time, recently held a major conference and hosted leading figures in global technology. It was during this conference and its side programs that new dimensions of the Saudis’ approach in this field became apparent. The Saudis have even moved to establish a charter for Islamic AI.
What ties the Saudis’ hands is their balancing act in simultaneous interactions with both the Chinese and Americans. This dilemma has become seriously evident as the Saudis strive to go beyond mid-range and ordinary systems and access the most powerful hardware. One of the Saudis’ dream items is the most powerful chips produced by Nvidia. The Saudis are trying to convince American officials to overcome trade barriers and export restrictions for this particular item, which will take several months. If successful, the Saudis will achieve a significant milestone.
By the end of this decade, Saudi Arabia’s investment in the field of artificial intelligence will reach 12% of the country’s gross domestic product.
