SPEECH: Remarks by Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter at the 2025 Adopt AI International Summit

Thank you, Samantha, for that great introduction. And thank you Philippe for that amazing performance and speech.

It is really an honor to be with you at a moment when France has become a global catalyst for technological ambition. 

This nation has long been a beacon of human progress, forged in revolution, and anchored in the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. And I believe those ideals apply more than ever as we shape the future of Artificial Intelligence. 

They remind us that technology must uplift people, it needs to broaden opportunity, and it needs to strengthen collaboration. And with those principles in mind, I would like to reflect on the century-defining opportunities that lie before us with.

Of course, the global economic landscape has changed significantly in just the last twelve months. New supply chains are taking form. Inflation continues to moderate on a global scale. And despite the tariffs, projections show robust growth.

Add to this an evolving global energy mix, where demand continues to grow substantially, and one can easily see the challenge before governments and the private sector to find new paths for growth. 

And that is just the analog world of investments, regulations, and shipping lanes. Overlaid on top of that is a digital revolution moving at extraordinary speed, with AI becoming the age-defining technology.

It goes far beyond writing an email, choosing a restaurant, or planning a vacation. All these apps. AI is driving generational opportunity across every industry, society, and every economy.

But as the world accelerates through this inevitable change, how can AI promote greater inclusivity, openness, and shared progress? 

We heard about some of the risks. Certainly, events like this summit allow us to build the momentum around a collective understanding of AI’s potential and its responsibilities.

In particular, the bridge between innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship that can only come through global collaboration. That’s why international partnerships are a central pillar of our AI and digital strategy at Aramco. And why they are important for this 21st century revolution here in France too.

This approach, combined with major investments in advanced computing, through the National Quantum Strategy, the European digital policy leadership. It explains why France is a leading hub for AI and quantum innovation. 

It also explains why Aramco’s collaborations with French companies are moving the needle on a global scale.

For example, our partnership with Pasqal Quantum Computing just saw the installation of the Middle East’s first quantum computer dedicated to industrial applications, right at our headquarters in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. 

This will expand quantum computing expertise in the region, and accelerate quantum applications in the energy, materials, and industrial sectors.

But at the crux of this global transformation is the crucial relationship between AI and Energy.

Data centers alone consumed around 415 terawatt hours of electricity just last year. That’s nearly equal to France’s total electricity consumption. So by 2030, that number is actually expected to more than double. Some predict even higher.

And the relationship doesn’t just end with energy demand. It also is about enhancing the energy supply. 

With global energy demand predicted to rise significantly by 2050 – mostly in emerging economies — AI is going to be critical for producing energy more efficiently, more sustainably, and affordably. 

It is helping ensure that access to energy — one of the foundations of modern life — remains affordable and reliable. Advanced AI deployment in energy has therefore become one of the most important fields for AI. 

At Aramco, our digital strategy is built on three pillars: infrastructure, data, and talent. 

We operate some of the Middle East region’s most powerful supercomputers, including Dammam 7, and a number of NVIDIA Superpods, which help us create, train, and run our AI models. 

More than that, we have access to over 90 years of propriety data and every day billions of new data points are generated to add to that. This has fueled the creation of the energy industry’s first industrial Large Language Model, which we use in our day-to-day business.

Finally, talent. Talent is mission-critical. We of course hire exceptional scientists and engineers. 

But we also train all of our employees across our company — from the executives to the frontline workers — to use AI-based solutions, and to understand the potential of AI. 

We have identified more than 400 use cases, which we are continuously working on and scaling across our operations. And we believe we can accelerate efficiency, reliability, and safety throughout our value chain.

Indeed, across all of our facilities around the world, AI is today driving operational excellence. For example, robots and drones replace manual inspections in many of our facilities.

AI systems ensure business continuity and continuity of our operations by predicting failures before they occur. And our Industrial Multi-agent AI, for example, reduces maintenance planning times from days to hours.

That’s just to name a few examples. But it is not only about improving efficiency. 

Aramco is actively leveraging advanced technology and AI to maintain our position as one of the lowest upstream producers of hydrocarbon products.

We are deploying AI analytics to better understand, manage and minimize our methane emissions, for example. Drilling prediction models. They guide optimal operating windows that improve safety, and reduce rig fuel consumption. And we use digital twins to optimize processes, which can reduce power usage and lower our overall carbon emissions.

In 2024 alone, Aramco generated 4 billion dollars of technology realized value, around half of that was driven by AI solutions.

And technology is also the reason why our remain the lowest in the world at $3.50 per barrel of oil equivalent, despite all the challenges of costs and increasing resources.

We also have plans for a significant stake in HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s flagship AI company. Together with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, we aim to strengthen our industrial AI leadership and make Saudi Arabia a global AI hub – open, connected, and driven by the opportunity. 

But we cannot do this alone, and this is where investments and collaboration with French companies are critical. 

Our venture capital programs, with 7.5 billion dollars in assets under management, include our collaboration with Pasqal Quantum Computing that I mentioned earlier, for example, and many other French deep tech startups.

We are committed to our partnerships here, and also to the infectious spirit of innovation that surrounds the French tech industry. 

And that’s why I’m very pleased to announce that Aramco Ventures is opening a new office here in Paris, as we continue to invest in next-generation technologies here and across Europe. 

With this new presence, we look forward to expanding and deepening our collaborations with France. And we hope to make our two great nations AI powerhouses. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, AI has already delivered billions in value, safer operations, and greater efficiency for us.

Policy, investment, and infrastructure are aligning to create a fertile ecosystem for growth. But the future demands more. It demands more talent. More computing power. More energy.

Even more than that, France’s core values remind us that progress must be shared; innovation must empower; and collaboration must guide global ambition. Louis Pasteur famously said that “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” 

At Aramco, we have been preparing for decades. And in doing so, we have become a leader in industrial AI while continuing to supply the reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy the world still needs. 

I hope this inspires others among you, and especially those in the developing world, to likewise grab these opportunities. 

While AI is a story that will be written over decades, the moment to act is now.

Thank you very much.