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Key Highlights of The Reinforced Saudi-US Partnership, Deals And Vision Forward

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The Saudi-US Investment Forum, held on May 13, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, marked a historic milestone in bilateral economic cooperation. With over $300 billion in deals signed, the forum solidified Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for innovation and investment, aligning with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030. As reported by the Saudi Press Agency, the event brought together top government officials, Fortune 500 CEOs, and investors to advance partnerships in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), energy, digital infrastructure, fintech, healthtech, tourism, smart mobility, and industrial innovation. This comprehensive report explores the forum’s key sectors, outcomes, and their impact on Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.

A Landmark Event for Saudi-US Relations

Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih opened the forum, describing it as a “pivotal moment” in the nearly 90-year partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the architect of Vision 2030, announced the $300 billion in agreements, with potential investments reaching $600 billion and ambitions for $1 trillion in the coming years. He highlighted that 40% of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), valued at over $900 billion, is invested in the U.S., underscoring the deep financial ties between the two nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump, attending as part of his Middle East tour, praised Saudi Arabia’s “phenomenal transformation,” noting that non-oil revenues now surpass oil revenues—a testament to Vision 2030’s success in diversifying the economy. Trump emphasized the Kingdom’s ability to balance cultural preservation with modern innovation, reinforcing confidence in its business environment.

Key Sectors of Partnership

The forum’s agenda focused on high-impact sectors critical to Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and global leadership. Below are the primary areas of collaboration:

1. Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI and technology dominated the forum, with Saudi Arabia positioning itself as a global AI hub through HUMAIN, a PIF-backed AI startup. Key partnerships included:

These deals, supported by U.S. policies promoting “AI diplomacy,” aim to establish Saudi Arabia as a leader in AI and GPU cloud computing, as stated by Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi of the Saudi Data & AI Authority.

2. Energy: Balancing Tradition and Sustainability

Energy remains a cornerstone of Saudi-US cooperation, spanning traditional and renewable sources. Saudi officials reaffirmed the Kingdom’s role as a stable oil supplier while advancing clean energy initiatives. A flagship project is the $8.4 billion green hydrogen plant at NEOM, developed with U.S.-based Air Products, ACWA Power, and NEOM. This venture, one of the world’s largest, uses solar and wind power to produce clean hydrogen for export, aligning with Vision 2030’s sustainability goals.

3. Digital Infrastructure

Investments in data centers and connectivity are transforming Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape. AWS’s $5.3 billion plan for a Saudi cloud region by 2026 complements the AI Zone initiative. Additionally, Saudi firm DataVolt announced a $20 billion investment in U.S. AI data centers, fostering two-way economic benefits. NEOM’s infrastructure, including 500 km of fiber-optic cables, further supports U.S. firms in digital expansion.

4. Fintech and Financial Services

The presence of Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink signaled strong U.S. interest in Saudi Arabia’s financial sector. Discussions focused on financing Vision 2030 projects, expanding capital flows, and leveraging Saudi Arabia’s opening stock market to attract foreign investors. These efforts aim to modernize the Kingdom’s financial ecosystem through open banking and digital payments.

5. Healthtech and Biotech

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health is exploring partnerships with U.S. firms in telemedicine, hospital joint ventures, and biotech research. While still in early stages, these initiatives align with Vision 2030’s Quality of Life program to digitize and enhance healthcare services.

6. Tourism and Real Estate

Giga-projects like the $63 billion Diriyah transformation, led by CEO Jerry Inzerillo, and NEOM’s development were showcased as key tourism and real estate opportunities. Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site, welcomed its three millionth visitor in 2025, with 83 U.S. firms involved in its museums, resorts, and entertainment venues. NEOM’s infrastructure, including solar farms and water pipelines, also relies on U.S. expertise.

7. Smart Mobility and Transportation

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted Saudi Arabia as one of Uber’s fastest-growing markets, with 140,000 drivers serving 4 million riders across 20 cities. He announced plans to introduce autonomous vehicles in 2025, partnering with 18 U.S. autonomous technology firms to enhance safety and affordability in Saudi cities.

8. Industrial and Advanced Manufacturing

Partnerships in semiconductors, data centers, and infrastructure projects like NEOM’s 194 km of water pipelines and solar farms involve U.S. engineering and manufacturing expertise, supporting Saudi Arabia’s industrial diversification.

Major Outcomes of the Forum

The forum delivered transformative results, shaping the future of Saudi-US economic ties:

  1. $300 Billion in Deals: Agreements across technology, defense, and infrastructure, with potential for $600 billion to $1 trillion in future investments.
  2. Global AI Leadership: HUMAIN’s partnerships with NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm, and AWS establish Saudi Arabia as a leader in AI and cloud computing.
  3. Sustainable Energy Milestone: The NEOM green hydrogen plant, supported by Air Products, advances clean energy innovation.
  4. Two-Way Investment Flow: DataVolt’s $20 billion U.S. investment and an $80 billion joint tech fund with U.S. firms like Alphabet and Oracle boost both economies.
  5. Economic Diversification Success: Non-oil revenues surpassing oil revenues, with U.S.-backed projects like Diriyah driving tourism growth.
  6. Social Progress: Panels on women in business highlighted increased female leadership, supported by U.S. training programs.
  7. Recurring Platform Potential: Plans to establish the forum as a regular event to track progress and launch new initiatives.

The forum featured a distinguished lineup, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Minister of Communications Abdullah Al-Swaha, and Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb. U.S. attendees included CEOs from NVIDIA (Jensen Huang), Amazon (Andy Jassy), BlackRock (Larry Fink), Citigroup (Jane Fraser), IBM (Arvind Krishna), OpenAI (Sam Altman), and Tesla (Elon Musk), alongside 83 U.S. firms engaged in NEOM and Diriyah. Their participation underscored the commitment to deepening commercial ties.

Every deal and discussion tied back to Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification, innovation, and global leadership. Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb predicted that by 2030, tourism will rival oil’s GDP contribution, driven by projects like Diriyah and NEOM. Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail highlighted U.S. contributions to smart cities and affordable housing, while panels on women in business showcased social progress, with U.S. firms supporting training and mentorship.

Why This Matters for Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

The Saudi-US Investment Forum represents a new era of collaboration, moving beyond traditional oil-based ties to a diversified, innovation-driven partnership. For Saudi Arabia, the deals accelerate its transformation into a global hub for AI, sustainability, and tourism. For the U.S., they open markets for American technology and create jobs through two-way investments. As Minister Al-Falih noted, this partnership is “renewed and reinforced” for mutual prosperity in an unpredictable global landscape.

The forum’s success has sparked plans to make it a recurring platform, ensuring ongoing collaboration and progress tracking. With significant capital flows, technology transfers, and a shared vision for innovation, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are poised to shape the global economy for decades to come.

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