Saudi Arabia and France deepen AI cooperation

Saudi Arabia and France are expanding technology cooperation from generative AI into large language models, robotics, computing infrastructure, research partnerships and data governance. The push follows Saudi Arabia’s decision to identify generative AI as a priority for collaboration with France and the creation of a Strategic Partnership Council during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2024.

Saudi Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha has held talks in Paris with Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch on open-source large language models and generative AI, and with Inria CEO Bruno Sportisse on AI, quantum computing, robotics, joint labs and researcher exchanges. Discussions also involved CNIL on data governance, Thales on smart systems and space technologies, France’s National Center for Scientific Research on deep technologies, and Enchanted Tools on interactive AI-powered robots.

The cooperation aligns with Saudi Arabia’s expanding digital economy. Al-Swaha said the Kingdom’s technology and digital markets had reached $40 billion since the launch of Vision 2030, with a technology workforce of 340,000, and later said the digital economy had reached nearly $140 billion by February 2026. Data center capacity grew from less than 80 megawatts to more than 440 megawatts, while France announced $127 billion in AI-related infrastructure investment during the AI Action Summit in February 2025.