From expectations to infrastructure, Riyadh and Paris expand their partnership in artificial intelligence and open models

The technical partnership between Saudi Arabia and France is moving from a phase of exploring general investment opportunities to building an integrated institutional collaboration that covers large language models, advanced research, robotics, and data governance. This shift comes after three years of designating generative artificial intelligence as a joint strategic priority during the French-Saudi Investment Forum in Paris in 2023, when Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Suwaha noted the sector’s ability to expand the global enterprise-software market from $1 trillion to $14 trillion by 2030, describing it as an economic multiplier and talent driver.

Bilateral talks saw a structural leap with the establishment of a strategic partnership councilDuring French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the Kingdom in December 2024, the council identified key cooperation areas including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, communications and information technology, space and smart cities. This was followed by an announcement from Saudi Arabia’s Research, Development and Innovation Authority and the European flagship projects initiative “JEDI” outlining plans to explore ambitious joint research programmes targeting vital fields such as energy, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and space, leveraging academic and research teams from both sides.

Practical cooperation deepened through specialist meetings held by Al-Suwaha in Paris by July 2025, where, together with Arthur Minsh, CEO of “Mistral AI”, they discussed ways to collaborate on developing open-source large language models and generative AI. Talks with Bruno Sportis, CEO of the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology “INRIA”, explored the creation of joint research labs and researcher-exchange programmes in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and robotics, while discussions with “Enchanted Tools” focused on advanced AI-powered interactive robots.

Cooperation did not stop at model development but extended to regulatory frameworks and data governanceDiscussions with Marie-Lour Dennis, head of the French data-protection authority CNIL, covered the regulation of emerging technologies and data-management frameworks. On the industrial and investment track, meetings with Patrice Kain, CEO of “Thales”, examined smart systems and space technologies, while talks with the French National Centre for Scientific Research addressed deep technologies and capacity building. The “Eurozio” investment group explored mechanisms for joint investment and support for Saudi start-ups seeking international expansion.

This trajectory coincides with notable growth in Saudi digital infrastructure, with the Kingdom’s digital economy reaching roughly $140 billion by February 2026, accounting for more than half of the MENA region’s digital-economy growth, alongside data-center capacity rising from under 80 MW to over 440 MW and a tech workforce of 340,000 specialists. In contrast, France bolstered its position by hosting the AI for Work summit in Paris in February 2025 with participation from over 100 countries and announcing infrastructure investments in computing totaling $127 billion.

This convergence reflects a shift in the Riyadh-Paris dialogue from measuring theoretical market size to direct participation in advanced-technology development, research and computing capacity building, and contributing to the formulation of rules governing future uses.