Riyadh: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) today signed a strategic partnership agreement with the University of California at Berkeley to enhance research and technological cooperation in the fields of advanced materials and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The signing took place during the official visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the agreement aims to establish a strategic collaboration with one of the world's leading research universities to support the development of national capabilities through the implementation of joint programs in research, development, innovation, and training. It also seeks to strengthen the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's position as a regional hub for science and technology and accelerate the adoption of future technologies.
The partnership areas include integrating AI technologies into advanced material development projects and accelerating their discovery and design. It also involves launching a national annual program to train undergraduate and graduate students in AI tools for material discovery, organizing specialized workshops for high school students at Berkeley laboratories, and sending postdoctoral researchers annually to conduct research at the university.
The partnership supports the design and discovery of advanced materials using AI, data science, materials simulation technologies, and advanced digital analysis to build specialized databases that speed up digital materials research. It contributes to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship by creating AI-driven startups in the field of advanced materials, thereby supporting economic diversification and promoting local content.
The agreement extends the ongoing collaboration between the two institutions, which resulted in the establishment of the Joint Center of Excellence for Nanomaterials and Clean Energy Applications in 2014. The center focuses on developing innovative materials for clean energy applications, including carbon-capture technologies and water extraction from air under low humidity conditions. It also aims to convert select joint applied research projects into startups that support the national economy.
The partnership has led to the launch of a national capacity-building program in the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), aimed at training national talent in the latest technologies in this promising area. It has produced 85 co-authored scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals, most notably a paper published in Nature on the use of covalent organic frameworks for highly efficient carbon dioxide capture from air. In addition, the partnership has advanced pioneering research in generative AI applications in materials chemistry, including chemical data and image mining, and has resulted in the registration of several patents.
The partnership represents a leading model in transforming scientific research outcomes into promising industrial and economic opportunities, contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in the areas of energy transition, the circular carbon economy, and advanced manufacturing.