Nokia opens Riyadh R&D centre to advance AI-powered network automation and support Saudi Vision 2030 | Computer Weekly

Nokia

Nokia has expanded its investment in Saudi Arabia by opening a new research and development (R&D) centre in Riyadh dedicated to developing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered network automation technologies, marking another milestone in the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a global hub for digital innovation and advanced technology development

The facility, Nokia’s first R&D centre in Saudi Arabia, will focus on creating software that enables communications networks to operate with greater autonomy through artificial intelligence and automation. The centre will develop technologies designed to help networks self-configure, self-heal, optimise performance, reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency

The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation agenda under Vision 2030, the national strategy launched to diversify the economy beyond oil, foster innovation, develop local talent and position the Kingdom as a leading technology and investment destination

AI takes centre stage in network operations

As communications service providers face growing pressure to support AI applications, cloud services, industrial digitisation and increasingly complex network environments, automation is becoming a critical requirement rather than a future aspiration

Nokia’s Riyadh-based teams will specialise in developing service management and orchestration (SMO), self-organising networks (SON), autopilot capabilities and rApps, and software applications designed to automate network operations in open and intelligent network architectures

These technologies aim to reduce the need for manual intervention in network management while improving service quality and energy efficiency. By applying AI to network operations, operators can automate routine processes, detect and resolve faults faster, optimise network performance in real time and reduce operational costs

The centre will also explore AI-native technologies that could form part of future 6G networks, helping prepare communications infrastructure for the next generation of connectivity

Mikko Lavanti, president of Middle East and Africa at Nokia, said AI is transforming industries and increasing the importance of advanced communications infrastructure: “AI is reshaping every industry, and networks are the critical infrastructure that will make that transformation possible

“Our new R&D centre in Riyadh will bring Nokia’s global expertise together with Saudi talent to develop AI-powered automation that makes networks more autonomous, efficient and responsive. It also strengthens the Kingdom’s role in creating connectivity innovation for customers in Saudi Arabia and around the world.”

Supporting Saudi Arabia’s digital ambitions

The launch follows an agreement announced earlier this year between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Nokia president and CEO Justin Hotard, highlighting the growing collaboration between global technology providers and the Kingdom’s digital ecosystem

The investment aligns closely with Saudi Vision 2030, which identifies digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and knowledge-based industries as key pillars of future economic growth. The Kingdom has invested heavily in emerging technologies over the past decade, launching initiatives focused on AI, cloud computing, smart cities, cyber security and advanced telecommunications

Saudi Arabia has also established dedicated organisations and programmes to accelerate AI adoption and digital skills development, while attracting international technology companies to set up regional headquarters, innovation centres and research facilities within the Kingdom

The opening of Nokia’s R&D centre reflects a broader shift in Saudi Arabia’s technology strategy, from being primarily a consumer of technology to becoming a producer and exporter of innovation

In addition to developing software for local communications service providers and enterprise customers, the centre is expected to contribute technologies that can be deployed across Nokia’s global customer base, creating exportable intellectual property and software developed in Saudi Arabia

Building local talent and research capabilities

A central objective of the initiative is talent development. Nokia said the centre will create high-value engineering and research positions while supporting advanced training programmes, boot camps and certifications focused on AI, software engineering and network automation

The emphasis on skills development reflects a wider national effort to equip Saudi citizens with expertise in high-growth technology fields and strengthen local research and development capabilities

According to the company, the facility will help to cultivate a new generation of Saudi engineers and researchers who can contribute to global innovation while supporting domestic digital transformation projects

Eng. Abdulrahman AlMufadda, deputy minister for telecom and infrastructure at MCIT, said the centre represents an important step in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position in the global technology landscape: “The opening of Nokia’s new research and development centre represents a strategic step toward strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for intelligent network technology innovation and reflects the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 to build a knowledge and innovation-driven digital economy.

“The centre will contribute to localising advanced research and development capabilities, developing national talent in AI and software, and creating technologies made in Saudi Arabia that can serve global markets,” he added

• Saudi Arabia struggling to reach global leadership in deeptech: Petrostate monarchy trying to build surrogate industry made of foreign startups because own ecosystem is too immature.
• Vox pop on digital transformation across the Arab world: We asked exhibitors at UAE startup event Expand North Star about the challenges – from lack of fundamental infrastructure to first-world problems – faced by startups and digital businesses in the Middle East.
• Saudi plans to be an IT superpower, but challenges lie ahead – impressions of Saudi Arabia during Leap 2025: Big plans ahead, but challenges in physical and digital infrastructure, and in the transition from public to private sector dominance.

Read more on IT for government and public sector

• 
  

  HP grows Saudi presence through AI, manufacturing and skills investment

• 
  

  AWS sets 2026 opening date for Saudi cloud region

• 
  

  Saudi Arabia ordered to pay £3m to UK dissident targeted with Pegasus spyware

• Black Hat MEA: Saudi Vision 2030 fuels surge in cyber security innovation

Source: www.computerweekly.com