Aramco launches new digitalisation initiatives

Aramco has launched new digitalisation initiatives at the Global AI Summit (GAIN) in Riyadh as part of its strategy to adopt cutting-edge digital solutions across its business

During the summit Aramco signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Cerebras Systems and FuriosaAI to explore collaboration in the supercomputing and AI domains. Another MoU signed with Rebellions focuses on potential deployment of the latter’s Neural Processing Unit chips in Aramco’s data centres, with a view to enhancing digital infrastructure and driving advanced AI innovations.

Aramco also signed an MoU with SambaNova Systems to explore ways to accelerate AI capabilities, innovation, and Kingdom-wide adoption, and announced the deployment of an AI supercomputer, one of the first systems of its kind in the region. Powered by some of the most powerful NVIDIA Graphical Processing Units (GPUs), it is designed to accelerate complex computing tasks such as analysing drilling plans and geological data to recommend low carbon intensity options for well placement.

In addition, Aramco has collaborated with Qualcomm Technologies on initial deployment of industrial generative AI solutions on the edge, which aim to enhance Aramco’s facility monitoring, predictive maintenance, and use of autonomous drones.

Digital innovation

The new initiatives buildon its launch earlier this year of the Saudi Accelerated Innovation Lab (SAIL) — a digital ecosystem to incubate new digital products and ventures with a view to growing the digital economy and keeping Saudi Arabia at the forefront of market-driven digital innovation.

Speaking about Aramco’s digital transformation the LEAP 2024, Amin H. Nasser, Aramco’s CEO, said SAIL would be attract global leaders, top talent and breakthrough innovation to incubate what is needed now and invest in what is next.

“We aim to enable Saudi businesses to outperform in their industries, growing the digital economy, and keeping the Kingdom at the forefront of market-driven digital innovation. Through SAIL, our goal is to create new digital products, new digital ventures, breakthrough IP, and global consortiums to tackle major challenges.”

Other initiatives include its Global AI Corridor ecosystem, which has resulted in the creation of Aramco’s first large language model (LLM) serving industrial AI applications, and the Eye on AI Program, intended to establish robust AI cybersecurity governance and systems, as well as equip users with necessary cybersecurity skills in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Aramco EVP of Technology & Innovation, said, “New digital technologies such as Generative AI and the Industrial Internet of Things are expected to transform not only how we work, but also our commercial environment. Aramco is pioneering the use of these technologies at an industrial scale to add significant value across our operations. Our history of innovation inspires us to continue harnessing emerging technologies and help realise the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a global AI leader.”