Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Operates World’s Largest Smart Irrigation System
RIYADH: Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia has launched the world’s largest integrated smart irrigation network, according to the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY). This advanced irrigation system is controlled by a central hub that oversees more than 12,200 smart devices and handles nearly 1.2 million signals every day. The network spans 11,600 km […]
Saudi Arabia Uses AI and Immersive Tech to Boost Tourism Sector
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is rapidly advancing the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and immersive technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to reshape its tourism industry as part of the Vision 2030 plan. The Kingdom is incorporating smart technologies in major locations, including key projects such as Neom, the Red Sea Project, Diriyah, […]
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Revenue Reach $40bn in Q2, Equal to Oil Revenue
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil revenue increased by 6.6% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter last year, totalling SAR 149.86 billion ($39.96 billion). This is the first time that non-oil revenue is almost equal to the oil revenue. Non-oil revenues made up about 49.7% of the total government income. It’s a […]
Saudi Arabia Launched OpenAI Models with HUMAIN-Groq Partnership
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has become the first nation in the region to implement OpenAI’s newest open-source models – gpt-oss-120B and gpt-oss-20B – through a partnership with HUMAIN, a company supported by the Public Investment Fund, and the US AI hardware company Groq. The OpenAI models are now fully functional on Groq’s ultra-high-speed inference platform, housed […]
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Sector Maintains Strong Growth Amid July PMI Slowdown
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector showed strong growth in the first half of 2025, even though the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for July reflected a slight slowdown in expansion. The non-oil GDP growth rate was around 4.7% in Q2 2025, slightly lower than 4.9% in Q1, indicating steady growth in key sectors such as construction, hospitality, […]
Saudi Industrial, Logistics Sectors Add $263 Billion to Non-Oil GDP in 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Industrial, Logistics Sectors added SR986 billion ($263 billion) to the non-oil GDP in 2024, representing 39% of the non-oil economy, as per the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP). This is a significant increase from SR949 billion ($253 billion) in 2023, indicating the continued influence of NIDLP in promoting the economic […]
SDAIA and Shareek Partner to Boost AI and Digital Transformation
RIYADH: The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) entered into an agreement with Shareek, Saudi Arabia’s Private Sector Partnership Reinforcement Program, to promote innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and cloud computing in the Kingdom. The partnership was officially announced at the Digital Saudi Exhibition, part of the economic affairs meeting organised by […]
Saudi Arabia issues 1,346 Industrial Licenses in 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia granted 1,346 new Industrial Licenses in 2024, bringing in over SR50 billion ($13.3 billion) in new investments, as per the recent report from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. These licenses are expected to generate over 44,000 new jobs throughout the Kingdom. The ministry’s analysis also indicates that 1,075 factories started […]
New Saudi Arabia Real Estate Law allows Foreigners to own property
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will now permit foreigners to own property in certain areas from January 2026, after a landmark decision made by the Saudi Cabinet on July 8, 2025. The new law is part of the kingdom’s efforts to attract foreign investment (FDI) and support its Vision 2030 strategy to shift the economy beyond oil […]
Saudi Arabia introduces Skill-Based Work Permits to Attract Global Talent
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia introduces a new permit system focused on skills to attract foreign talent and align foreign workers with the Kingdom’s economic goals. Ahmed Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development announced the initiative, classifying expatriate workers into three categories: high-skill, skilled, and basic. Classification depends on factors such as qualifications, experience, technical […]
