Saudi Arabia ‘ideal partner’ in shaping next wave of intelligent age, communication minister tells WEF

Abdullah Al-Swaha, Saudi minister of communication and information technology, was speaking during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos. (WEF/SBlaser)
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Updated 23 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia ‘ideal partner’ in shaping next wave of intelligent age, communication minister tells WEF

  • Abdullah Al-Swaha said aim was to “help the world achieve the next $100 trillion by energizing the intelligence age”

DAVOS: Saudi Arabia has accelerated efforts in “energizing the intelligent age,” making the Kingdom the world’s ideal partner in shaping the next wave of the technological age, said the minister of communication and information technology.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Abdullah Al-Swaha said the aim was to “help the world achieve the next $100 trillion by energizing the intelligence age.”

He said the Kingdom was expanding global partnerships for the benefit of humanity and highlighted both local and international achievements.

“We believe the more prosperous the Kingdom, the Middle East, is, the more prosperous the world is. And it is not a surprise that we fuel 50 percent of the digital economy in the kingdom or the region,” he told the audience. He added the Kingdom fueled three times the tech force of its neighbors and, as a result, 50 percent of venture capital funding.

Al-Swaha said Saudi Arabia was focused both on artificial intelligence acceleration and adoption. At home, he said, the Kingdom was doubling the use of agentic AI in the public and private sector to increase worker productivity tenfold. He also cited the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant, which was conducted in Saudi Arabia.

“If we double down on talent, technology, and build trust with partners, we can achieve success,” he said. “And we are following the same blueprint for the intelligence age.”

He said the Kingdom aimed to be a “testbed” for innovators and investors. Rapid technological adoption and investment have boosted Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy, with non-oil activities accounting for 56 percent of GDP and surpassing $1.2 trillion in 2025, ahead of the Vision 2030 target.

In terms of adoption, Al-Swaha said the Kingdom had introduced the Arabic-language AI model, Allam, to be adopted across Adobe product series. It has also partnered with Qualcomm to bring the first hybrid AI laptop and endpoints to the world.

“These are true testimonies that the kingdom is not going local or regional; we are going global,” he said.


List Magazine launches The List Awards

Updated 14 February 2026
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List Magazine launches The List Awards

RIYADH: Luxury travel and lifestyle magazine List has announced the launch of The List Awards, in association with Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille. 

The List Awards are a first-of-its-kind recognition celebrating excellence across travel, wellness, culture, and fine dining in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region.

Winners will be officially announced in the Winter 2026 edition of the magazine and across its social and digital platforms. 

The awards aim to define what world-class excellence looks and feels like in a new era of Saudi hospitality, creativity, and experience-driven living by recognizing establishments and cultural experiences shaping modern luxury in the region.

The selection process is not based on submissions, paid placements or public voting. Instead, List’s editorial team and a panel of independent judges personally experience each venue, brand or experience. 

Each entry is then explored, debated, and verified against key criteria: originality, precision, consistency, and relevance to the modern Saudi traveller. 

Nóirín Hegarty, List’s editor-in-chief, said: “Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an extraordinary cultural and creative transformation. The List Awards were born from a desire to recognise that energy and define what excellence truly looks like today.

“These awards are not about prestige for its own sake — they are about experience, authenticity, and intent. Every name on the list earned its place because it represents the best of the best and the future of luxury in the region and beyond.”