RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology conference, LEAP, opened its first international edition in Hong Kong on Wednesday, marking its expansion beyond the Kingdom as Riyadh seeks to strengthen technology partnerships across Asia.
Speaking at the opening of LEAP East, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha said the conference has evolved from a Riyadh-based event into a global technology platform, adding that its expansion reflects the region’s growing role in shaping the future of technology and artificial intelligence.
Al-Swaha said that under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia is building one of the world’s most accessible, AI-ready digital infrastructures, reinforcing its position as a trusted partner in the digital economy and a bridge between East and West.
The minister said the East represents a $34 trillion economy, accounting for nearly 30 percent of global gross domestic product, with a $10 trillion digital economy and a population of 3.7 billion, or about 46 percent of the world’s population, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Swaha emphasized that the East offers not only scale but is also laying the foundation for the AI age. He said the East is home to 82 percent of the world’s AI patents, accounts for 60 percent of the global semiconductor market, and produces 90 percent of advanced chip manufacturing.
