Cisco and KAUST launch an AI institute on the Saudi university's campus

Cisco and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced the launch of the Cisco AI Institute at KAUST on October 29, 2025, at an event in Riyadh. The institute will be based on the university's campus in Saudi Arabia and is intended to support artificial intelligence research, development and education while serving as a center for joint innovation.

The partners identified four research areas: AI-native communication systems, edge infrastructure for intelligent factories, autonomous mobility and intelligent transport, and AI applications in water, energy, food and health. Cisco said it would donate technology to the institute, including a modular infrastructure unit designed for AI workloads in data centers. A joint governing board with members from both organizations will set its direction. Separately, Cisco committed to provide free digital training to 500,000 learners in Saudi Arabia over five years through its Networking Academy, covering AI, cybersecurity, data science and programming.

KAUST was established in 2009 as a graduate research university. The institute forms part of Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration program, which the company says has delivered 23 projects in Saudi Arabia since 2016. Cisco also reported that its Networking Academy has trained more than 480,000 learners in the kingdom, 36 percent of them women.