Spurring the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Saudi Arabia

KAUST and NIDLP to establish a Fourth Industrial Revolution capability center

DR. NAJAH ASHRY Vice President for Strategic National Advancement

THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE SAUDI ECONOMY. STRATEGIC PLANNING TO ESTABLISH DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE WILL HELP PREPARE THE KINGDOM’S INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT TO DRIVE RAPID GROWTH, AS GUIDED BY VISION 2030.

KAUST is working to advance Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in the Kingdom in collaboration with leading national partners. In June 2021, KAUST announced a partnership with the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) to establish a capability center for the 4IR in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The partners signed a memorandum of understanding that seeks to accelerate the adoption of 4IR technologies in promising growth sectors in the Kingdom, including industry, mining, energy and logistics.

Launched in 2019, NIDLP aims to transform the Kingdom into a leading industrial powerhouse and global logistics hub. It is seeking to maximize the value of Saudi Arabia’s mining and energy sectors, while unlocking the full potential of local content and using it in the 4IR.

The 4IR, also known as Industry 4.0, refers to the emerging age of digitalization. It touches on a host of themes ranging from smart cities to digitally connected products, as well as the automation of tasks and services at home and work. 4IR technologies include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain, drones, the internet of things, robotics, virtual reality and 3D printing, to name a few. Saudi Arabia is targeting the development and implementation of 4IR technologies to create new sectors, improve livelihoods and diversify the Kingdom’s economy under Vision 2030. It has been estimated that revenue from 4IR technologies could generate around SAR1 trillion for the economy by 2030. as well as good governance, will be particularly important at the planned mega-city NEOM, which will be a hotbed for innovation and future-oriented technological development. A number of entities focusing on 4IR technologies had been established in the Kingdom as of mid-2021, including the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence; the National Cybersecurity Authority; the Digital Government Authority; and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority.

Harnessing the potential of the 4IR is a top priority for KAUST, and the university already has substantial expertise across various 4IR technologies. A number of innovative, technology-focused initiatives have taken root at the university as part of the KAUST 2.0 strategy. These include the KAUST Smart Health Initiative; the Resilient Computing and Cybersecurity Center; the KAUST Artificial Intelligence Initiative; and the university’s smart cities initiative, KAUST Smart. As an indication of the importance of the 4IR to KAUST’s development, the university added a digital pillar to its primary pillars of environment, water, food and energy.

As part of the collaboration, KAUST and NIDLP will team up to develop a roadmap and programs for the new capability center, define its frameworks and processes for providing services via a unified digital platform, and work with the authorities to determine the necessary criteria for classifying certain national capability centers as 4IR capability centers.

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

“I am honored to witness the signing of the memorandum of understanding between KAUST and NIDLP, and I look forward to the swathe of opportunities that it will bring to the industrial, energy, mining and logistics sectors.”

HE Bandar Bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and Chairman of NIDLP