Tehran-Riyadh talks on AI cooperation underway
Iranian Deputy Minister Mohammad Mohsen Sadr (L) meets with Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, the head of the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on the sidelines of the Saudi Arabia Internet Governance Forum (Saudi IGF), which took place from December 15–19, 2024. ito.gov.ir
Iran’s deputy minister of communications said negotiations with Saudi Arabia to collaborate on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and information technology are underway.
Mohammad Mohsen Sadr expressed hope that by exchanging resources and assigning a share of the projects in Saudi Arabia to Iranian experts, we can put a stop to the migration of specialized forces, according to IRNA.
He emphasized the importance of privatizing the economy and the key role of the private sector in various projects during a meeting with a group of private sector activists on Monday.
The deputy minister also reported on the progress of IT diplomacy with other countries and the export of Information Technology and Communications (ICT) technical services.
Sadr stated that investing in the field of information technology can give rise to employment opportunities.
Announcing his ministry’s support for startups and innovation funds, he also called on the private sector to get on board and cooperate in this field.
“The Ministry of Communications is ready to back up the private sector in the field of infrastructure,” he added.
The head of the Information Technology Organization of Iran listed plans such as the Smart Government and Government Cloud as important programs of the ministry.
Sadr maintained that efforts have been made to centralize AI processing infrastructure and prevent parallel work between executive bodies.
Stressing that the digital transformation plan is of special importance to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, he noted that the entry of various industries into this field leads to the growth of the country’s digital economy.