Accenture returns to LEAP 2026 as official Gen AI Partner
LEAP is returning to the fold this year for its fifth, biggest and boldest edition, with Accenture once again serving as an official knowledge partner around Generative AI.
Taking place from 31 August to 3 September in Riyadh, LEAP is the Middle East’s major global technology and innovation conference and an important part of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to establish Riyadh as a global technology and investment hub under Vision 2030. The event brings together technology companies, startups, investors, government leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world, with a program spanning major technology themes including AI, cloud and data infrastructure, cybersecurity, fintech, health technology, smart cities, climate and energy, space, gaming, sports technology and digital commerce.
For this year’s edition, the organizers are targeting their largest turnout and impact to date, expecting more than 201,000 attendees, 1,000 speakers, 1,800 global technology brands, 600 startups and 1,900 investors.
Gen AI Partner: Accenture
LEAP is supported by a range of companies specializing in digital transformation and technology services, including Accenture, which has been named the event’s official Gen AI Partner.
Accenture will use its presence across the four days to discuss with clients and partners how organizations move AI from experimentation to execution – creating value across industries, infrastructure and digital economies, while helping organizations determine where sovereignty and resilience matters most across their AI portfolios.
Leaders from the global consulting firm will take part in multiple stage sessions throughout the week, including Nick Law, Creative Strategy & Experience Lead at Accenture Song, who will speak on the LEAP Main Stage on applied creativity and how AI is reshaping creativity, design and digital experience.
During the event, Accenture will also launch new Middle East research examining how governments and enterprises across the region are advancing sovereign AI. The research finds that as the Middle East is among the world’s most ambitious regions on AI sovereignty, many organizations are focusing on closing the gap between national ambition and enterprise capability.
The report explores the leadership, operating model and infrastructure shifts needed to turn sovereignty from a compliance-led response into a driver of resilience, innovation and long-term economic advantage. It also highlights the Middle East’s access to stable, cost-effective energy as a potential competitive advantage in building sovereign AI infrastructure and scaling AI workloads.
Omar Boulos, Chief Executive Officer of Accenture in the Middle East and Africa, said: “The Middle East has moved beyond discussing AI sovereignty and is now putting it into practice. Our research shows that while the region has made significant progress in infrastructure, investment and national AI strategies, many organizations are now building the enterprise-scale capabilities needed to turn that ambition into measurable value.”
“Sovereignty is not about full autonomy across the AI stack. It is about securing AI where it matters most, building the right partnerships and creating the leadership accountability needed to generate long-term economic value. That is the conversation we want to have with clients and partners at LEAP.”
