Saudi Arabia: Aramco to establish AI excellence centre

The oil company has signed a memorandum of understanding with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to support the research, development and spreading of the technology.

Saudi Aramco has signed a memorandum of understanding with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to establish a new excellence centre at the university’s headquarters. The company aims to support efforts of research, development and spreading and marketing advanced artificial intelligence technologies, through addressing impacts of works at Saudi Aramco at the sustainable institutional level instead of individual projects.

“This unique opportunity provides a system based on research inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the industry leaders, academic decision makers and international partners to meet and exchange and transfer knowledge to develop AI solutions and spread and market them globally to create a sustainable research environment in this field,” said Al-Nuaim, Vice president of Digital Transformation for Aramco.

As reported by the national Saudi Press Agency, the memorandum states tah the new AI excellence centre seeks to develop research skills, improve products and commercial marketing and entrepreneurship in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through creating unique opportunities for research and advanced development of AI. Its activity will be based on globally distinguished data groups, where the centre also seeks to be an advanced model in the research development system in the field of AI in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The new excellence centre will provide a joint framework for working with Saudi Aramco in a close way to develop proper and quick solutions for the needs of the energy sector, among other relevant sectors, in addition to training the cadres necessary to improve the development pace in this vital and important sector,” said Dr Donal Bradley, Vice president for Research at KAUST.

The centre also seeks to benefit from the latest AI technologies, putting Saudi Aramco and KAUST as global leaders in this field through establishing an AI platform for the researchers of the university and company to exchange knowledge, incubate technologies, and increase their contributions and influence at the global level.