Microsoft Expands into the Middle East

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, Assistant Minister of the Saudi Media Ministry, and Ziad Mansour, Executive Vice President of Data and Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft. Also present at the meeting were Bassem Al-Hazmi, General Manager of Digital Transformation and Information Technology and Cybersecurity, along with Turki Badhris, President of Microsoft Arabia.

The collaboration will focus on technological development, particularly in areas such as data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, security and privacy solutions, and the development of software and services. One of the primary reasons for this partnership is to enhance the quality of local media content and to ensure that Saudi Arabia keeps pace with global transformation trends to support the sustainable development of the Media Ministry.

Furthermore, the MoU aims to propel the growth of the Saudi media sector, empowering it to contribute to the national economic development and to fully leverage advances in artificial intelligence technology for broad application in the media field. The commitment of the Saudi Media Ministry to its digital transformation and technological innovation, as well as its firm resolve to enhance the competitiveness of the media industry, is evident through this cooperation.

Microsoft's operations in Saudi Arabia are diverse and not limited to the media sector. In mid-April this year, Microsoft announced an investment of 1.5 billion USD in G42, an AI company headquartered in the UAE, acquiring a minority stake and a seat on the board. Both companies committed to jointly develop AI products and to support the creation of a 1 billion USD fund aimed at enhancing AI skills in the UAE and the broader Middle East region.