New Delhi, Dec. 18 -- Saudi Arabia is pushing aggressively to secure a stake in the future of the digital and artificial intelligence-driven economy as it seeks to transition from a fossil fuel-led growth model to participation in the digital revolution. A series of ambitious projects are underway, including a planned US$5 billion data centre in northwest Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea. Once operational, the facility is expected to provide sufficient computing capacity to support artificial intelligence development for users as far away as Europe.

For decades, Saudi Arabia has relied on oil exports as the backbone of its economy. Today, it is attempting to pivot towards one of the digital era's most valuable resources: computing power. Cr...