At the recent Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit in Riyadh, Aramco unveiled its Global AI Corridor, an ambitious partnership between Aramco and private industry for facilitating and accelerating the update of AI across industries in Saudi Arabia. The Aramco Global AI Corridor will enable Saudi industries to integrate the latest AI technologies into businesses to outperform regional and global competitors, and will attract the industries and technology creators that will keep Saudi Arabia at the forefront. The Global AI Summit was hosted under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “AI is already a game changer,” said Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco president and CEO. “The opportunities are growing exponentially. If we get this right and we invest wisely, we can optimize our industries, unlock new efficiencies, and unleash a new era of growth and transformation in Saudi Arabia.” “We are already an energy leader,” Nasser added. “We can be an AI leader too, explorers, producers, and exporters of immensely powerful ideas and innovation — for the Kingdom and the world.” The Global AI summit is a premier event that will gather the most prominent policymakers, the world’s leading investors, policy thought leaders, and innovators working to deploy AI by exploring the state of AI, investment cases, commitments, and governance to bring AI solutions at a global scale. The goal of the summit is to spark a global movement to reimagine how AI can be a force for good — one that elevates humanity. This is the beginning of a worldwide dialogue to build bridges across technology, human-centered design, and policymaking. “We are future proofing our business by building the skills needed by our men and women to thrive in an IR 4.0 enhanced workplace,” said Nabil A. Al-Nuaim, Aramco’s chief digital officer. “We prepare our people for the future where they can thrive and contribute to shaping the world. Through the Aramco Global AI Corridor, we will promote knowledge of technology, inspire creativity, embrace innovation, and unleash the most important energy source there is: human potential.” Focused on AI Now, AI Next, and AI Never, the summit will explore the impact of AI on topics as crucial as economic mobility, health care, human capability development, and smart cities. AI Now: Gives attendees practical tools through keynotes, workshops, panels, and technology demonstrations that will drive their roadmaps. AI Next: Looks ahead to the change makers and pioneers who are paving the way for AI to solve some of the world’s most meaningful challenges. AI Never: Challenges the audience and speakers to engage in debates about the ethics and responsible use of AI across a range of domains and topics. Global AI leadership Aramco is well placed, because of its early adoption of AI and other IR 4.0 technologies, to become the world’s leading digitalized energy corporation, maximizing value, and globally spearheading digital innovation in energy. Capitalizing on the power of AI allows us to optimize our operations and remain at the forefront of supplying the world’s growing demand for reliable, affordable, low carbon energy. “Embedding artificial intelligence within the organization’s business processes allows us to unlock previously unknown insights and patterns,” said Yousef A. Al-Ulyan, vice president of Information Technology. “These insights allow us to explore new business frontiers while maximizing our operational efficiencies.” Embedding artificial intelligence within the organization’s business processes allows us to unlock previously unknown insights and patterns. — Yousef A. Al-Ulyan The Global AI Corridor will develop AI solutions for the company and the Kingdom, generate and commercialize high-impact intellectual property (IP), grow talent through a series of talent development programs, and nurture AI startups. It has the capacity to bring together global AI hubs to collaborate on solving global challenges, attract talent, capital, ideas, and IP to the Kingdom and the region, and enable an environment for nurturing AI innovation. The Aramco AI Corridor Center of Excellence will be a key element in driving forward and facilitating the delivery of the Global AI Corridor’s programs. A lazy image Aramco’s AI vision The promise of AI and other IR 4.0 technologies is that they allow us to work smarter, by using machine learning, AI, alternative reality, big data, and real-time data computation. Developing in-house digital innovations allows us to determine our future, maximizing our business effectiveness and operational efficiency, empowering our men and women to contribute more to our communities, our industry and the world. Taking a leadership role in industrial AI, Aramco is setting the pace domestically by innovating and deploying advanced technologies across the energy sector to boost performance and maintain a competitive edge locally, regionally, and internationally. SEE ALSO