Happy Monday everyone!

Saudi HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin urged inclusive AI at TEDx Riyadh, unveiling “ALLaM,” the Kingdom’s first Arabic-first large language model designed to reflect regional values and bridge the digital divide. Meanwhile, Microsoft Arabia’s Turki Badhris said Saudi Arabia’s vast open terrain gives it unmatched scale for hyperscale data centers, positioning the Kingdom as a tri-continental hub. In the US, Amazon suspended a Palestinian engineer after he protested the company’s ties to Israel, intensifying scrutiny on tech firms’ workplace dissent and political neutrality.

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Saudi HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin Calls For Inclusive AI To Bridge Global Digital Divide

🔹 What Is It About

Speaking at TEDx Riyadh recently, HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin said scarcity today is not food or water but digital access—data, education, and opportunity. He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in leading the shift from a commodity-based to a knowledge-based economy, unveiling ALLaM, the Kingdom’s first Arabic-first large language model built to reflect regional culture, values, and sovereignty.

🔹 Why It Matters

Amin stressed that Vision 2030 is not only about national transformation but also about global impact. With Saudi Arabia’s abundance of energy, land, and connectivity, he argued that the Kingdom can help democratize AI infrastructure and close the digital divide. He urged the world to resist a future where AI only benefits those already connected, calling inclusivity “a responsibility, not an option.”

🔹 What’s Next

HUMAIN plans to build world-class AI infrastructure in Riyadh, aiming to establish a “new Silicon Valley” in the Kingdom. Amin said this investment will unlock innovation across sectors from healthcare to education, empowering startups and creators. With Saudi-built platforms like HUMAIN Create already in use, Amin predicted Riyadh will soon showcase tangible results, positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for human-centered AI.

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“Saudi Arabia’s Open Terrain Allows Scale Unmatched By Global Tech Hubs,” Says Microsoft Arabia Chief

🔹 What Is It About

“Unlike traditional global tech hubs, the Kingdom’s open terrain allows for purpose-built facilities with fully independent power, cooling, and networking systems,” said Turki Badhris, president of Microsoft Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s deserts are emerging as the new frontier for hyperscale data centers, combining vast land, stable geology, and strategic global positioning. Market revenue is forecast to hit $2.07 billion by 2025 and $2.83 billion by 2030, according to Statista.

🔹 Why It Matters

Analysts say Saudi Arabia’s appeal lies in low-cost land, abundant renewable energy, and government-backed digital infrastructure. With subsea and terrestrial fiber routes connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a “tri-continental hub.” PwC notes regional data capacity will triple to 3.3 GW in five years, driven by surging demand for cloud computing and AI. Saudi Arabia’s scale, cost advantage, and Vision 2030 alignment give it an edge over UAE and Qatar rivals.

🔹 What’s Next

Hyperscale data centers are central to the Kingdom’s digital transformation under Vision 2030, with global players like Microsoft, Oracle, Google, and Amazon expanding investments. Projects such as Neom’s AI campus and subsea cable initiatives will reinforce Riyadh’s bid to become a global digital hub. Microsoft says its Azure region will support diversification, job creation, and training over 100,000 Saudis in AI and cloud. By 2030, Saudi Arabia’s data center market is expected to triple to nearly $4 billion.

Amazon Suspends Palestinian Employee After Protest Against Israeli Government Ties

🔹 What Is It About

Amazon has suspended Palestinian software engineer Ahmed Shahrour hours after he emailed executives and posted on Slack protesting the company’s $1.2 billion Project Nimbus contract with Israel. In his letter to CEO Andy Jassy and others, the Seattle-based employee accused Amazon of complicity in the Gaza war, saying he faced “constant dissonance” working for a firm profiting from technology used by the Israeli government and military.

🔹 Why It Matters

The suspension highlights growing tensions inside major tech firms as employees protest corporate ties with Israel amid the Gaza war. Shahrour accused Amazon of censoring Palestinian voices and ignoring worker petitions calling for contracts to be canceled. Rights groups argue such disciplinary actions reflect a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech in Silicon Valley, following similar dismissals at Microsoft.

🔹 What’s Next

Amazon says it is investigating Shahrour’s posts for potential policy violations. The company maintains it does not tolerate harassment or threatening behavior. Meanwhile, Shahrour continues campaigning outside Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, urging colleagues to support a worker-led movement against Project Nimbus. With cloud demand surging, the dispute is likely to intensify scrutiny on tech firms’ government contracts and workplace dissent.

👨‍💻From Smashi Business’ Desk

• Dreamers: Shakour Abu Ghazalah, once left with nothing after a bank collapse, turned resilience into Albaik—the Middle East’s fast-food giant.

• Saudi Arabia Unveils $1.8B Qiddiya Olympic Stadium to Anchor 2030 Sports Vision.

• Copycat Shut Down: “Salt London” Locked Out After Lease Forfeiture in Leicester Square.

🔍In other news…

• Albania appoints world’s first AI-generated minister to ensure decisions are corruption-free

• Middle East wealth market no riskier than others, says Lombard Odier

🏦 Crypto Corner

• Michael Saylor — Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy and one of Bitcoin’s most vocal corporate advocates — will make his first-ever appearance in the UAE at Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi.

• Hut 8, part of a American BTC which is partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, Gets Approval to Operate in Dubai Financial Hub.

• Abu Dhabi Judicial Department now accept AE Coin.

We are launching a Smashi Crypto newsletter in September 2025! Subscribe to it here to get the weekly updates from the world of digital assets.

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