Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Moussa Beidas, Partner and ideation lead at PwC Middle East, emphasized that AI investments in the region are driven by private companies and governments, focusing heavily on infrastructure—a critical area for growth.

Speaking to Al Arabiya Business on the sidelines of LEAP 2025 in Riyadh, Beidas highlighted Saudi Arabia’s competitive edge in AI investments compared to the U.S. and Europe.

He revealed that PwC brought OpenAI representatives to Saudi Arabia for the first time to meet with government and private sector leaders, aiming to accelerate AI investments. Beidas noted the Kingdom's vast potential in AI and OpenAI’s increasing interest in expanding its Middle East presence, with strong local market support for the Kingdom's initiatives.

Beidas explained that while Generative AI performs tasks and provides information, Agentic AI operates as a digital team, assigning responsibilities and enhancing efficiency. Companies can use Agentic AI to automate routine tasks, improving employee productivity—a development still in progress.
He stressed that investing in AI infrastructure is essential for the Middle East to match or exceed global standards. Agentic AI, he added, has applications in sectors like government, tourism, and other economic industries. Beidas also highlighted the need to upskill the workforce with modern tech knowledge to support future growth in AI.