Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: IBM has completed the training of 500,000 people in Saudi Arabia on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other emerging technologies, five times the original target and 18 months ahead of schedule, according to Fahad Alanazi, Vice President, General Manager at IBM.

Speaking to Asharq Business on the sidelines of IBM’s “Think on Tour 2025” conference in Riyadh, Alanazi said the milestone stems from an agreement signed less than four years ago with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to train 100,000 individuals. Training was offered through a free platform available in Arabic and multiple other languages.

He added that the ministry helped IBM reach universities, training centers, government bodies, and other target groups. IBM is currently working with sectors including oil and gas, finance, industry, banking, healthcare, and education, and the company now aims to expand its efforts to train the broader community.

Saudi Arabia is one of only five countries worldwide where IBM has chosen to significantly scale its operations, Alanazi noted. The company has opened its regional headquarters in Riyadh and established an AI software development lab that builds and exports AI models.