Zain KSA, a leading provider of telecom and digital services in Saudi Arabia, has sealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cisco, a key player in networking and security, to collaborate on the development of advanced AI infrastructure and GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS).
This collaboration highlights Zain KSA’s commitment to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals by driving digital transformation and cementing the Kingdom’s position as a global digital innovation hub, particularly in the AI space.
The agreement aims to harness Cisco’s advanced, end-to-end infrastructure solutions to securely develop and scale AI workloads, supporting Zain KSA in providing high-performance, resilient, and reliable GPU-powered services to the Saudi market.
Under the MoU, Zain KSA will combine its deep market knowledge, cutting-edge digital capabilities, and targeted investments with Cisco’s global expertise in AI-ready infrastructure development. The collaboration focuses on creating innovative solutions and commercial models to empower customers across various sectors to embrace AI solutions with confidence.
Furthermore, the two parties will explore opportunities for training programs to nurture local talent, aligning with Zain KSA’s commitment to developing ICT skills to support long-term national AI capabilities.
Fahad Sahmi Al Sahmah VP of B2B Sales – Zain KSA
“At Zain KSA, we are mobilizing all our capabilities and investments to drive nationwide digital innovation, positioning the Kingdom as a global hub, a digital economy powered by future-looking GenAI solutions and applications. These efforts aim to empower all stakeholders, including government entities, businesses, and individuals, to harness the boundless potential of AI in support of national goals. This strategic collaboration with Cisco, positions us well to explore, develop, and innovate use cases, as we continue building a resilient, integrated and agile digital ecosystem that can embrace next-gen technologies and deploy them in the Kingdom.”
Zayan Sadek, Managing Director for Service Providers at Cisco Middle East, Türkiye and Africa, added that, “Cisco is excited to collaborate with Zain KSA to pave the way for a transformative AI-powered future in Saudi Arabia. By combining Zain KSA’s digital expertise with Cisco’s cutting-edge AI infrastructure technologies, we aim to unlock new possibilities to empower businesses to thrive in the AI era and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced technologies.”
