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Saudi Arabia’s $5B AI Zone To Spark Tech Jobs & Global Innovation

Backed by HUMAIN and AWS, the new AI Zone aims to train 100,000 Saudis, boost GenAI innovation, and drive a surge in tech job creation.

Published

1 year ago

May 15, 2025

Joanna Melki

saudi arabia's $5 billion ai zone to spark tech jobs and global innovation

Amazon

Saudi Arabia is doubling down on its ambition to become an AI-first economy with the launch of a dedicated “AI Zone”, a multibillion-dollar initiative designed to accelerate tech job creation, digital innovation, and startup growth.

At the heart of the project is a $5 billion+ investment from HUMAIN — the Kingdom’s new AI champion under the Public Investment Fund (PIF) — and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The collaboration marks one of the largest tech capacity-building efforts in the region and promises to transform Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape.

A central pillar of the initiative is training 100,000 Saudi citizens in cloud computing and generative AI, through Amazon Academy — described as the Middle East’s largest talent development program. The initiative aims to close the talent gap in AI and give Saudi nationals a foothold in one of the fastest-growing global tech sectors.

The AI Zone will also give Saudi businesses and government entities access to high-performance AI models through AWS. Companies will benefit from Amazon Q, an AI-powered coding assistant that can build GenAI agents to automate workflows, generate content, and deliver insights.

“This collaboration to build an AI Zone in Saudi Arabia will enable innovations across all industries using AWS’s advanced AI offerings,” said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services.

Alongside talent development and enterprise AI, the initiative is expected to invigorate the local startup ecosystem. Saudi Arabia led the MENA region in VC investment in 2024, with $750 million raised — a signal of growing appetite for innovation.

Also Read: HUMAIN & NVIDIA Partner To Build Saudi AI Factories Of The Future

The new zone will give startups access to AWS’s cloud stack and specialized AI support, helping them scale faster and innovate with confidence.

“This could be the spark the Saudi tech startup scene has needed,” said a regional consultant. “The AI Zone fills a gap in how tech jobs are created and supported”.

As the project’s architect, HUMAIN plans to use AWS tools to develop sovereign AI solutions and Arabic-focused LLMs like ALLaM. It also intends to launch a unified AI agent marketplace, simplifying how government and enterprise customers discover and deploy AI tools.

“Together with AWS, we’re creating the infrastructure, capability, and community to power the Kingdom’s AI-driven future,” said Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN.

Related Topics:Amazon Artificial Intelligence HUMAIN Saudi Arabia

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Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.