Communications Minister, White House AI Advisor Discuss Partnership Prospects

Riyadh: Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha met in Riyadh with U.S. White House special advisor for artificial intelligence (AI) and crypto David Sacks. The meeting explored strategic partnership opportunities between Saudi Arabia and the United States in AI and technology, aimed at enhancing their pioneering efforts in these fields. According to Saudi Press Agency, following the meeting, Alswaha accompanied Sacks on a tour of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) deep-tech venue as well as The Garage, where they met with Saudi entrepreneurs and were introduced to innovative projects supported by the Kingdom's innovation ecosystem and leading American companies. The initiative reflects both countries' commitment to supporting startups and enabling their growth within a flexible and stimulating digital environment. The tour featured presentations by Tuwaiq Academy female leaders in programming and AI, alongside a meeting with the first Arab Muslim femal e astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, and other Saudi astronauts. Saudi Arabia shares a growing partnership with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through collaborative agreements in space exploration and scientific experiments. The visit by the White House official exemplifies the increasing integration between Saudi Arabia and the United States in building a global digital and innovative economy based on knowledge exchange, developing digital infrastructure, and empowering individuals through technology. The visiting delegation explored collaborative models in digital health and sustainability, notably the Seha Virtual Hospital-one of the world's largest virtual hospitals-providing opportunities for collaboration with American healthcare institutions to develop remote diagnostics and AI-supported care. The visit also explored sustainability projects in partnership with U.S. organizations focused on environmental AI and climate data analysis. These efforts reflect Saudi Arabia's commi tment to leading innovation in future sectors and enhancing international cooperation to achieve widespread technological and humanitarian impact, aligning with the objectives of Vision 2030.