Huawei Cloud drives Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation with AI

Saudi Arabia’s public cloud services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23.4 per cent to reach $3.9bn in 2027, according to a study by the International Data Corporation (IDC). To accelerate digital transformation in the kingdom under the Vision 2030 economic reform strategy, Huawei Cloud has unveiled a series of artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives.

Huawei Cloud’s new AI initiatives, which were launched at the Huawei Cloud Summit Saudi Arabia 2024, position the cloud solutions firm as a key player in the country’s digital transformation.

The new AI capabilities come a year after Huawei Cloud opened a data centre in Riyadh (Huawei Riyadh Region), and offers ubiquitous computing, reduced costs, enhanced data security, and improved service experiences from the edge cloud.

Huawei Cloud’s low latency of 25 milliseconds (ms) across Saudi Arabia demonstrates its commitment to delivering high-performance AI services.

 “The Riyadh Region offers a premium cloud experience with ultra-low latency of 25ms for Saudi Arabian customers. This ensures high bandwidth, reliable, and direct connections to the cloud. Beyond Saudi Arabia, the region’s latency of under 100ms extends benefits to neighbouring areas in the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and Europe,” says Roy Luo, vice president of the Cloud Consulting Solution Sales Department at Huawei Cloud ME&CA.

“Huawei is the preferred partner for Chinese enterprises entering Saudi Arabia, actively delivering innovative and differentiated solutions to local customers. The company is actively providing innovative and tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of local customers, further enhancing the region’s cloud infrastructure.”

Data localisation legislation

Saudi Arabia, among other GCC countries, has taken significant steps towards data sovereignty by implementing regulations that require specific types of data to be stored locally. The regulations have accelerated the adoption of cloud in the region within the kingdom, and Huawei Cloud is leveraging this surge in demand for cloud-based data centres.

“Huawei Cloud has been proactive in embracing Saudi Arabia’s digital sovereignty strategy, becoming the first cloud service provider fully compliant with the government’s data security policies,” Jacqueline Shi, president of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, said in her opening remarks.

“We are committed to ensuring the safety and privacy of our Saudi customers’ data through cutting-edge technology and localised services, thereby contributing to the growth of the local digital economy.”

Meeting the demand

Huawei Cloud has served over 300 clients in Saudi Arabia, including government agencies, leading telecom providers, financial technology firms, media outlets, and 90 per cent of Chinese companies expanding their operations in the country.

Huawei Cloud’s AI-powered solutions are revolutionising various sectors in Saudi Arabia, including government services, retail and finance. Leveraging its advanced technologies and expertise, the company is empowering businesses with intelligent solutions.

Within the government services sector, Huawei Cloud is assisting with the building of a big data platform to achieve efficient data sharing across departments. Similarly, the Pangu government model is accelerating the development of smart cities.

Huawei Cloud’s support has enabled Saudi Arabia to create its own Arabic large language model (LLM), which powers over 20 AI applications with optimal resource utilisation.

“Like the Tuwaiq Mountains, standing tall and steadfast through time, Huawei remains committed to the Middle East and Central Asia, deeply rooted in this region,” said Steven Yi, Huawei senior vice president and the president of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia Region.

“With our continuous innovation, deep industry insights, and focus on talent in fields like AI, big data, and cloud computing, we are accelerating the realisation of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, contributing to the country’s digital evolution and helping this vibrant land move toward a smarter future.”

Huawei Cloud’s public cloud business revenue in Saudi Arabia has increased ten times since the launch of the Huawei Riyadh Region. Its Pangu model is revolutionising software development by enabling CodeArts to build massive amounts of code at unprecedented speeds.

The breakthrough technology is helping local businesses stay ahead of the curve by accelerating the time-to-market for new software solutions.

Read: Huawei Cloud commits to accelerate realisation of Saudi Vision 2030