Cloudera and Aramco Announce Plans for AI-Driven Digital Innovation Collaboration in Saudi Arabia

Cloudera and Aramco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU outlines plans for joint efforts to leverage Cloudera’s platform and Aramco’s industry expertise to build AI-powered solutions and applications that support the growth of the digital oil and gas sector in Saudi Arabia. This proposed collaboration aims to see both parties work together to further localize cutting-edge technologies, create new opportunities, and drive sustainable growth in the country amidst the rapid evolution of technology.

The parties plan to develop and upskill Saudi local talent through programs tailored to Saudi Arabia’s workforce needs, focusing on data engineering, data science, and analytics. Ahmad Issa, Regional Vice President of the Middle East for Cloudera, stated, “In seeking to collaborate with Aramco, our goal is to empower local professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in a data-driven economy. By investing in human capital, we’re supporting individual careers while contributing to the broader ecosystem of innovation and growth in Saudi Arabia.” This emphasis on skills development aligns with the joint vision of making modern data and analytics accessible and fostering an empowered workforce ready for future challenges.

Under the proposed collaboration, Cloudera and Aramco plan to jointly develop and implement data-driven solutions utilizing Cloudera’s platform to further enhance Aramco’s operational efficiency and competitiveness. By combining their expertise, the two companies aim to work together to unlock new insights and drive business value through advanced data management, security, and analytics capabilities. Issa continued: “By seeking to collaborate with Aramco, we intend to blend its industry expertise with our innovative data solutions to drive meaningful impact for Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. We’re excited about the opportunity to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s digital economy, working with world-class organizations like Aramco to make smarter, data-driven decisions to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced world”.

As part of the MoU, the parties have agreed to explore collaborative research and development initiatives. Cloudera and Aramco also plan to explore emerging trends and technologies in big data, AI, and data science. By pooling resources and expertise, the parties aim to fuel innovation that drives AI-powered solutions and applications supporting the growth of the digital oil and gas sector in Saudi Arabia. Cloudera’s hybrid data-cloud solutions offer a robust foundation for securely managing data across environments while maintaining unified governance and real-time analytics capabilities.

This aligns with Aramco’s forward-looking vision in the data and AI field, and the two parties are planning to collaborate and drive innovation in the rapidly evolving global landscape. Issa concluded, “As we are seeking to collaborate with Aramco, we reaffirm our commitment to helping enterprises accelerate their AI aspirations in a secure and responsible way. Together, we plan to unlock the true potential of data and support Saudi Arabia’s digital economy.”