BrazilSalesforce partners with IBM for new AI Innovation Centre in Riyadh
Salesforce, the world’s most used CRM platform among corporations, is launching a new AI Innovation Centre in Riyadh, selecting IBM as its collaboration partner.
The establishment of the Innovation Centre in Saudi Arabia coincides with the company’s decision to establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh, and comes shortly after the US-giant pledged to upskill over 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030. All three announcements were made during the World Economic Forum currently taking place in the Swiss mountain village of Davos.
In the new AI Innovation Centre, Salesforce and IBM will work together on the development of joint technology solutions and implementation offerings. Much of the focus will be on Agentforce, a platform which enables companies to build their own AI agents for the Salesforce platform.
Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce, said: “We’re excited to expand our presence in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region and help drive innovation, enhance productivity, and support key digital transformation initiatives with our Agentforce digital labor platform.”
Dave McCann, Managing Partner of IBM Consulting for the EMEA region, added: “Our plans to collaborate with Salesforce to establish an AI Innovation Center of Excellence in Riyadh marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards redefining business operations through artificial intelligence.”
“By integrating Salesforce’s AI capabilities with IBM Consulting expertise and watsonx technology, we are not just creating solutions, but fostering an ecosystem where Agentforce could drive unparalleled productivity and value. This is a testament to IBM’s commitment to empowering businesses through seamless digital transformations in-line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
IBM will support the AI Innovation Centre through its expertise in technology, consulting (IBM Consulting) and artificial intelligence (watsonx).
The partnership builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies, and specifically on a global partnership agreement focused on AI signed in 2023.
Reactions from Saudi officials
In reaction to the latest news, a number of senior Saudi officials welcomed the initiative.
Khalid Alfalih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, said: “Salesforce’s decision to establish its regional headquarters in Riyadh, combined with its partnership with IBM to launch an AI Center of Excellence, marks yet another milestone in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward becoming a global hub for investment in technology, in innovation and, most importantly, in Saudi talent.”
Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications & Information Technology, said, “We thank Salesforce and IBM for their commitment to fueling the Kingdom’s thriving digital economy. This partnership strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as the largest digital economy in the Middle East, home to the region’s biggest tech talent pool, and a global hub for innovation.”
