SCAI Launches AI Operations to Compete with Global Technologies

SCAI’s operations will focus on delivering end-to-end cutting-edge AI solutions to prioritized sectors for the Kingdom such as energy and healthcare. (Reuters)
SCAI’s operations will focus on delivering end-to-end cutting-edge AI solutions to prioritized sectors for the Kingdom such as energy and healthcare. (Reuters)
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SCAI Launches AI Operations to Compete with Global Technologies

SCAI’s operations will focus on delivering end-to-end cutting-edge AI solutions to prioritized sectors for the Kingdom such as energy and healthcare. (Reuters)
SCAI’s operations will focus on delivering end-to-end cutting-edge AI solutions to prioritized sectors for the Kingdom such as energy and healthcare. (Reuters)

The Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), a company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), launched operations to grow and develop artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies industries in the Kingdom.

The company’s operations will focus on delivering end-to-end cutting-edge AI solutions across various disciplines.

These will apply to a wide range of use cases for both businesses and consumers in prioritized sectors for the Kingdom such as energy and healthcare.

SCAI also aims to be the trusted AI provider for smart city practical solutions.

“As PIF’s arm in the AI and emerging technologies sector, the company will develop local capability, cutting edge technology, and strategic partnerships to support creating Saudi-owned solutions in the AI ecosystem,” said SCAI Chairman Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf al-Ghamdi.

This comes in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives of diversifying and growing the economy and improving the quality of life for Saudi citizens, he added.

“SCAI will be a key enabler to promote the national AI objectives and accelerate technology adoption across various sectors in the Kingdom,” said Ayman Al-Rashid, CEO of SCAI.

“The world is embracing the era of data and information, and AI is rapidly changing the way we live.”

It is critical for Saudi Arabia to invest in the foundations of the sector to unlock long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders in the Kingdom and beyond, he stressed.

SCAI’s mandate comes in line with PIF’s strategy, which focuses on 13 priority sectors, including the technology sector.

Through its mandate, PIF is establishing national champions and enabling the development of new sectors in line with Vision 2030.



$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed a SAR 1 billion ($266.7 million) agreement with Bidaya Finance to buy a mortgage portfolio.
The deal is the largest of its kind, aimed at injecting liquidity into Saudi Arabia’s housing market.
The agreement, signed on Sunday, was attended by Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail, who also chairs SRC, and Abdulaziz Al-Omair, Chairman of Bidaya Finance.
This move supports SRC’s efforts to grow the mortgage market and expand refinancing options, aligning with Vision 2030’s goal of increasing homeownership among Saudi citizens.
SRC CEO Majeed Al Abduljabbar said the deal will boost liquidity and stabilize the housing finance market, helping more Saudis own homes. He added that it builds on SRC’s plan to partner with key lenders and develop a strong secondary mortgage market.
“This agreement is a pivotal step toward achieving the strategic objectives of the Housing Program by increasing homeownership among citizens,” Abduljabbar noted.
“It also aligns with our strategy to forge strategic partnerships with leading financing institutions, fostering the development of an active secondary market for residential mortgages,” he added.
Bidaya Finance CEO Mahmoud Dahduli called the agreement a step forward in offering innovative financing solutions, enabling more citizens to achieve their housing goals and contributing to Vision 2030’s housing targets.
“This strategic collaboration with SRC reinforces our shared role in offering reliable, innovative financing solutions that empower citizens to realize their housing aspirations, aligning with the Housing Program’s goal of increasing homeownership,” Dahduli said.
Established in 2017 by the Public Investment Fund, SRC aims to make home financing more accessible by providing liquidity to lenders and supporting Saudi Arabia’s housing sector under the national transformation plan, Vision 2030.