Saudi Arabia Launches LEAP 2026 With $15 Billion AI Investment

Saudi Arabia launched the fifth edition of LEAP 2026 on Monday in Riyadh, announcing more than $15 billion in investments, launches, and partnerships. The conference, themed Into New Worlds, focuses on establishing an integrated artificial intelligence ecosystem that includes semiconductors, cloud services, data centers, and accelerated computing to increase the Kingdom's digital competitiveness.

Abdullah Alswaha, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, attributed the scale of these achievements to the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The event features 1,800 global technology brands and over 1,000 speakers discussing advancements in cybersecurity, fintech, and smart cities.

Running through September 3 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the conference is co-organized by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming, and Tahaluf.