RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia invests heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure, the next challenge will be turning that investment into economic growth, skilled jobs and homegrown innovation. The Kingdom’s ambitions to become a global AI leader have placed computing capacity, cloud infrastructure and data sovereignty at the center of its technology strategy, with global companies increasingly expanding their operations in the country. At LEAP 2026, Oracle is among the major technology companies showcasing its presence in the Saudi market, where the company has established cloud regions in both Jeddah and Riyadh. In an interview with Arab News, Reham Almusa, general manager of Oracle Saudi Arabia and vice president of applications, said sovereign AI would play a critical role in allowing the Kingdom to build its AI economy while maintaining control over sensitive data and strategic infrastructure. “Sovereign AI refers to a government’s or organization’s control over AI technologies and associated data,” Almusa said. In practice, this includes control over how AI systems are deployed and operated, as well as the hardware, software, policies and personnel involved in building and managing those systems. For Saudi Arabia, the economic and strategic value of this approach goes beyond technology. Almusa said sovereign AI capability would allow the Kingdom to develop, deploy and govern AI systems while retaining control over sensitive data, critical infrastructure and strategic decision-making. The model also supports national security, data privacy and regulatory compliance, all of which are becoming increasingly important as governments and businesses integrate AI into their operations. The investment case for AI is also expected to extend far beyond the technology sector. “AI is already becoming a core productivity and growth engine for Saudi Arabia, and not just a technology sector,” Almusa said. Over the next five years, she expects AI’s biggest economic impact to come from making priority industries more efficient, creating higher-value local capabilities and supporting Vision 2030’s transition toward a knowledge-based economy. The public sector, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, energy and retail are among the industries poised to benefit most from wider AI deployment. But the expansion of infrastructure alone will not be enough to create a sustainable AI economy. Saudi Arabia will also need a workforce capable of developing, operating and applying the technology. Oracle has launched its Mostaqbali initiative in Saudi Arabia, aiming to train 50,000 Saudi nationals in AI and other advanced technology skills. The program includes 23 training tracks totaling 300 training hours and covers areas including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, database management, Oracle applications and other digital skills. Participants who meet the program’s requirements can receive professional certificates designed to support their entry into technology-driven jobs. Developing and retaining talent is one of three areas Almusa identified as essential for Saudi Arabia to move from being a consumer of AI technology to becoming a global producer. The second is infrastructure. “Data is at the heart of AI success,” she said, pointing to the Kingdom’s efforts to create an environment that encourages global cloud companies to expand their computing capacity locally. Oracle’s cloud regions in Jeddah and Riyadh form part of that growing infrastructure base, giving organizations access to cloud computing capacity within the Kingdom. The third pillar is creating a stronger ecosystem for local startups. Almusa said government entities and local companies could help accelerate Saudi AI companies by acting as early customers, launching outcome-based challenges and giving startups opportunities to scale their businesses. That approach could determine whether Saudi Arabia’s massive AI investments translate into long-term domestic economic returns. The country is increasingly building the infrastructure needed to power an AI economy, but the financial benefits will depend on how effectively that infrastructure supports local companies, creates high-skilled jobs and improves productivity across major industries. For companies such as Oracle, LEAP 2026 offers a platform to demonstrate their role in that transformation. For Saudi Arabia, however, the larger question is whether the billions flowing into AI infrastructure today can create an ecosystem capable of generating lasting economic value tomorrow. Almusa believes the foundations are already in place. With continued investment in talent, cloud infrastructure and startup innovation, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself to play a larger role in the global AI economy, not simply as a market for technologies developed elsewhere, but as a country seeking to build, operate and commercialize AI capabilities of its own.