During the LEAP 2026 conference in Riyadh, Microsoft announced that its new cloud data center region in the Kingdom, named “Saudi Arabia East,” will become operational and available to customers in November 2026. The move is aimed at accelerating cloud computing and artificial intelligence adoption, while enabling Saudi organizations to develop advanced digital solutions locally.
New Cloud Region in the Eastern Province
The new cloud region is located in the Eastern Province and includes three availability zones for the Microsoft Azure platform. This allows government entities and private sector organizations to host data, run workloads, and deploy cloud applications within the Kingdom. Customers will benefit from advanced security, resilience, and business continuity, as well as reduced latency for cloud services and AI applications.
Supporting Saudi Vision 2030
The launch marks a significant milestone in Microsoft’s long-term investments in Saudi Arabia. The local digital infrastructure helps organizations move AI from experimentation and prototypes to real-world, large-scale deployment. It also supports the development of innovative products and services aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Eng. Nasser Al-Nasser, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Technology, stated that the Kingdom is moving rapidly toward building an AI-driven economy, relying on strategic partnerships and advanced digital infrastructure. He noted that the availability of Microsoft’s cloud region is an important step to accelerate AI adoption and empower innovators, entrepreneurs, and enterprises to create new growth opportunities and enhance competitiveness.
Ayman Al-Ghamdi, President of Microsoft Arabia, explained that the project’s importance goes beyond bringing cloud infrastructure closer to customers. He emphasized that it provides Saudi organizations with the foundation needed to integrate AI into their daily operations and turn their technology investments into tangible, measurable value.
Empowering National Talent
In support of national capabilities, Microsoft announced that it has so far helped more than 1.6 million people in the Kingdom acquire digital and AI skills, including students, teachers, women, and professionals, in collaboration with government entities and technology ecosystem partners. The company aims to empower three million people in Saudi Arabia with AI skills by 2030.
Collaboration with Local AI Companies
Microsoft is working with national AI companies, including “Humain,” to develop solutions that meet the Saudi market’s needs, modernize data environments, and prepare workloads to leverage AI technologies.
Upcoming Innovation Center and AI Arabia Center of Excellence
Microsoft also plans to open its Innovation Center in the Kingdom next November. The center will offer interactive experiences, workshops, and practical applications to help organizations develop prototypes and accelerate AI and cloud computing projects.
Additionally, the company announced the launch of the “AI Arabia Center of Excellence” in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Skills Council, and “Gulf Intelligence.” The center aims to strengthen national capacity building, consolidate expertise and specialized research, and support dialogue on AI adoption and ecosystem expansion in the Kingdom.
These investments together provide advanced local cloud infrastructure, enhance data security and governance, and develop national talent. They support enterprises in scaling AI applications from within the Kingdom and solidify Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for technology and innovation.
