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A booming tech ecosystem

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Right from the opening of LEAP 2025, strategic announcements marked the event. Saudi Arabia confirmed $14.9 billion in investments in AI and digital infrastructure. Among these initiatives, Groq and Aramco Digital signed a $1.5 billion agreement to develop an AI inference data center, which will become one of the most powerful in the world. ALAT, in collaboration with Lenovo, also unveiled a $2 billion project to build an advanced manufacturing center integrating AI and robotics in Riyadh, a project that will generate 15,000 direct jobs and 45,000 indirect jobs.

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Google also used the conference to announce the creation of a global hub dedicated to AI, while Qualcomm and Alibaba Cloud launched new programs to accelerate the training and adoption of AI technologies in the region.
‍“These investments bring us one step closer to achieving the kingdom's technological and economic goals,” said Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology. With over 1,800 exhibitors, including 630 start-ups, LEAP 2025 brought together thousands of tech and investment players. Among the biggest, the presence of major players such as Google, Alibaba Cloud, Databricks and Salesforce confirmed the interest of tech multinationals in this booming market. 

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From commitment to impact

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Among the boldest initiatives announced at LEAP 2025, the NEOM project, the futuristic megalopolis under construction, includes a $5 billion investment in partnership with Datavolt to build a world-record 1.5 gigawatt data center entirely dedicated to AI. This initiative aims to integrate AI into all aspects of the smart city, from energy management to urban infrastructure. In the same spirit, Alfanar announced a $1.4 billion project to develop four data centers totaling 88 gigawatts with the aim of building a resilient and sustainable digital economy.

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Saudi Arabia's commitment to technology investment also extends to strategic areas such as cloud computing, telecommunications and cybersecurity.
For example, Tencent Cloud is investing $150 million to establish the first AI-powered data center in the Middle East. In addition, IBM has announced that advances in quantum computing could see the light of day within the next three to five years, opening up new prospects for sectors such as energy and pharmaceuticals. In another example, Mobily, one of Saudi Arabia's largest telecom operators, will invest $911 million in digital infrastructure, including submarine cables and data centers. Zoom, meanwhile, plans to inject $75 million into the development of artificial intelligence and innovation, while setting up new data centers to support the digital infrastructures of Saudi government institutions. 

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With colossal investment announcements and a clear vision for the future,
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself at the heart of the world's technological transformation. More than just an event, LEAP illustrates a regional dynamic in which innovation is becoming a strategic driver of economic and social development. The MENA region is changing, and now more than ever it needs to leap forward, with technology as its main driving force.

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Sources : 

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https://europeanbusinessmagazine.com/business/leap-2025-opens-with-announcement-of-record-us14-9-billion-investment-in-ai/

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https://kawa-news.com/leap-2025-15-milliards-dinvestissements-tech-au-moyen-orient-en-4-jours/

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https://entrevue.fr/conference-leap-2025-des-investissements-de-plus-de-75-milliards-de-dollars/

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https://onegiantleap.com/

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