RIYADH, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- China is an important partner for Saudi Arabia in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and data computing technologies, given its advanced expertise and globally leading technological ecosystem, Majid Alshehry, spokesman of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), has said.
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Alshehry noted that SDAIA is working to build technical partnerships with major Chinese companies and institutions.
Established in 2019, SDAIA has enabled Saudi Arabia to develop advanced digital infrastructure, build qualified national talent, and launch government digital solutions that have become global benchmarks, according to Alshehry.
He noted that one of SDAIA's key initiatives is the national "Istishraf" platform, which has supported decision-makers through advanced data analytics and generated economic savings exceeding 13.6 billion U.S. dollars over recent years.
Regarding cooperation with China, Alshehry said SDAIA is working to establish technical partnerships with leading Chinese companies, including Huawei in the fields of data centers, cloud computing and AI capacity building, as well as Alibaba Cloud in cloud computing, big data analytics and AI platforms.
"In addition to exchanging expertise in data governance and AI ethics," he said that such cooperation contributes to enhancing the national digital infrastructure, localizing advanced technologies, and facilitating knowledge transfer.
On the Digital Silk Road vision proposed by China, Alshehry said SDAIA views it as an international framework that supports greater connectivity between the two friendly countries, and as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with partners in China and Asia in data centers, cloud computing and AI applications.
The framework, he noted, could also help link Saudi Arabia's digital infrastructure with regional and international digital systems and strengthen the kingdom's position as a regional hub for data and artificial intelligence. ■
