IBM has marked a defining year in Saudi Arabia’s fast-advancing digital transformation journey, unveiling a series of strategic milestones spanning workforce empowerment, regional capability expansion, and next-generation AI innovation. 

These accomplishments underscore the company’s deepening partnership with Saudi institutions and its alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions to build a knowledge-based, technologically advanced economy.

At IBM Think on Tour 2025 in Riyadh, IBM announced a national achievement: empowering more than 500,000 Saudi nationals through IBM SkillsBuild, its global learning program focused on AI, cloud, and data-driven skills. Achieved through its collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the milestone exceeds the partners’ initial target by half a million learners.

Senior leaders from IBM and MCIT celebrated the accomplishment, highlighting its alignment with Saudi Arabia’s commitment to nurturing digital talent capable of competing on a global stage. 

Fahad Alanazi, general manager of IBM Saudi Arabia, emphasized the transformative potential of the Kingdom’s youth, noting that surpassing the goal “is a testament to the ambition of Saudi youth and the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors.”

The SkillsBuild initiative has been delivered through strategic partnerships with leading national institutions, including King Saud University, Princess Nourah University, the National eLearning Center, the Saudi Data and AI Authority, and the SAMAI initiative. 

Notably, the program has contributed to expanding digital opportunities for Saudi women and equipping high-school students with early exposure to AI and emerging technologies. 

IBM and the National Institute for Educational Professional Development also upskilled more than 2,000 teachers in AI and computer science, strengthening the digital capabilities of the country’s education sector.

Further deepening its on-ground presence, IBM Consulting officially launched operations in the Al-Baha region following the opening of the company’s first branch in the province. The site, envisioned as a Center of Excellence, serves as a hub for nurturing consulting and technology talent by bridging academic learning with industry-ready skills.

The launch also follows the first cohort of Al-Baha University students successfully completing training programs that provide pathways into employment at IBM and broader career opportunities within the Kingdom’s expanding digital ecosystem.

The partnership between IBM and Al-Baha University has been strengthened further by the university’s selection to join the 2025 IBM Impact Accelerator cohort. Through the program, both organizations will co-develop an innovative AI framework—CH-MARL (Constrained Hierarchical Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning)—designed to transform logistics operations such as cargo fleet management. 

Built on IBM watsonx.ai and IBM Cloud, the solution aims to reduce idle time, lower emissions, and enhance efficiency across Saudi Arabia’s logistics hubs, including potential future integrations with IBM Maximo and IBM Sustainability Software.

Leaders from both sides emphasized the impact of the collaboration on regional development. Khaled AlOfaysan, country manager and managing director of IBM Consulting Saudi Arabia, noted that the Al-Baha branch “is uniquely equipped to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and create the consulting leaders of tomorrow.”

In a landmark announcement for the global aviation industry, IBM and Riyadh Air revealed the launch of the world’s first AI-native airline, built entirely without legacy IT constraints. Presented at IBM Think Riyadh 2025, the collaboration showcases how AI can redefine modern air travel through deeply integrated guest experiences, employee enablement, and operational intelligence.

Leveraging IBM Consulting’s multilayered ecosystem and its AI-powered delivery platform, IBM Consulting Advantage, the airline’s digital foundation unifies 59 workstreams and more than 60 global partners, including Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, and FLYR. Riyadh Air will launch its first commercial routes in early 2026.

AI will power nearly every aspect of the airline’s operations — from personalized digital workplaces for employees to AI-driven crew enablement tools that support real-time decision-making, such as recommending fast-track services for guests running late. AI-based customer care platforms will enhance service delivery by combining contextual data with human-centered interaction.

Operationally, the airline has adopted an integrated enterprise performance management system implemented by IBM Consulting, consolidating financial, commercial, and operational data to enhance efficiency, strengthen route profitability, and support real-time planning.