
Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI CEO joined Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology in a keynote dialogue during the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, spotlighting the Kingdom’s bold shift toward a tech-driven economy.
Opening the session, Alswaha emphasized that Saudi-US relations have evolved beyond energy, now centering on innovation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. He credited Musk as a key driver of global technological change and highlighted the Kingdom’s vision, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership, to become a global hub for AI and smart technologies.
Musk described humanoid robots as a potential revolution in productivity, suggesting they could expand the global economy tenfold and usher in an era of abundance, surpassing traditional ideas like universal basic income. He also praised Saudi Arabia’s adoption of Starlink in aviation and maritime sectors and expressed interest in collaborating on smart mobility projects like RoboTaxis and The Boring Company’s tunnel systems.
Alswaha noted the Kingdom’s rapid progress in AI, cloud infrastructure, and digital services, aiming to lead responsibly in the post-data era. Both leaders called for stronger international cooperation on ethical AI development and reaffirmed the strategic Saudi-US partnership as a catalyst for a smarter, more equitable global economy.