IBM and Lenovo expand strategic AI partnership to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation

In a landmark move to bolster Saudi Arabia‘s position as a hub for technological innovation, IBM and Lenovo have announced the expansion of their long-standing strategic partnership. The announcement, made during the LEAP 2025 conference in Riyadh, focuses on delivering advanced generative AI solutions tailored to meet the Kingdom’s unique needs across government and business sectors.

This collaboration is set against the backdrop of an AI-driven global economy, with IDC projecting that worldwide spending on AI-centric systems will surpass $300 billion by 2026. As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 goals, the integration of artificial intelligence into public services, business operations, and critical infrastructure has become a key priority. The expanded partnership between IBM and Lenovo aims to support this transformation, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.

How will the IBM-Lenovo partnership shape Saudi Arabia’s AI landscape?

The expanded collaboration builds on a robust 20-year partnership between IBM and Lenovo. This new phase will integrate technologies from the IBM watsonx portfolio, including advanced generative AI products, with Lenovo’s high-performance infrastructure. A pivotal element of this initiative is the inclusion of the Arabic Large Language Model (ALLaM), developed by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). ALLaM is designed to support Arabic-language AI applications, making it a strategic asset for businesses and government entities operating in the Kingdom.

By combining IBM’s expertise in AI with Lenovo’s scalable infrastructure, the partnership will deliver solutions that address critical challenges across industries. These include enhancing public safety through predictive analytics, improving customer service with AI-driven automation, and supporting IT operations with intelligent monitoring tools.

Giovanni Di Filippo, President of EMEA, Infrastructure Solutions Group at Lenovo, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “We’re proud to strengthen our collaboration with IBM to deliver fit-for-purpose generative AI solutions. By combining IBM’s advanced AI capabilities with Lenovo’s infrastructure, we aim to meet the evolving needs of Saudi organisations in this dynamic market.”

What makes this partnership critical for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030?

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 blueprint emphasises technological innovation as a cornerstone for economic diversification. The government’s investments in smart cities, digital infrastructure, and AI-driven services reflect its ambition to become a global leader in emerging technologies. The IBM-Lenovo partnership aligns seamlessly with these objectives, offering tailored solutions that support the Kingdom’s digital transformation journey.

Through IBM’s watsonx platform, organisations in Saudi Arabia can access ALLaM to train, fine-tune, and deploy AI models optimised for Arabic-language processing. Additionally, the flexibility to run AI workloads on Lenovo infrastructure—whether on-premises or in the cloud—provides businesses with the agility needed to adapt to rapidly changing market demands.

Ayman AlRashed, Regional Vice President of IBM Saudi Arabia, emphasised the partnership’s potential impact, noting, “Our collaboration with Lenovo will deliver AI solutions designed to address specific use cases relevant to Saudi Arabia. By leveraging open-source models and scalable infrastructure, we aim to drive significant value for our clients, enabling them to make data-driven decisions with greater confidence.”

How will generative AI solutions benefit Saudi businesses and government entities?

The introduction of advanced generative AI solutions through this partnership is expected to deliver transformative benefits across multiple sectors. In government, AI will enhance public service delivery through improved data analysis, predictive modelling, and automation. This could lead to more efficient resource allocation, faster response times in public safety scenarios, and improved citizen engagement.

For businesses, the applications are equally compelling. AI-driven customer service platforms can reduce operational costs while enhancing user experiences. In sectors such as finance, healthcare, and logistics, AI can streamline complex processes, identify patterns in large datasets, and support strategic decision-making. The integration of ALLaM ensures that these solutions are culturally and linguistically aligned with the needs of Saudi organisations.

What are the future prospects for IBM and Lenovo in Saudi Arabia?

While the current focus is on deploying AI solutions tailored to Saudi Arabia, both IBM and Lenovo have indicated that this partnership is part of a broader strategy to expand their presence in the Middle East. As AI technologies continue to evolve, the companies plan to explore new areas of collaboration, including the development of industry-specific AI applications and the expansion of cloud-based services.

However, both IBM and Lenovo caution that their future plans are subject to change as market conditions evolve. The rapid pace of technological innovation means that flexibility and adaptability will be key to sustaining long-term growth in the region.

The expansion of the IBM-Lenovo partnership marks a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s journey towards becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence. By combining advanced AI technologies with scalable infrastructure, the collaboration promises to deliver solutions that not only support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals but also position Saudi Arabia as a regional hub for technological innovation.

As the demand for AI-driven solutions continues to grow, partnerships like this will play a crucial role in shaping the future of business and governance in the Middle East and beyond.