‘Davos in the desert’ kicks off in Saudi Arabia as Riyadh eyes investment for AI

People attend the opening ceremony of the Future Investment Initiative, in Riyadh on October 28, 2025 (Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
People attend the opening ceremony of the Future Investment Initiative, in Riyadh on October 28, 2025 (Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Saudi Arabia opens a major investment conference featuring heads of state and the global business elite as it seeks support for its sprawling “gigaprojects” and sky-high AI ambitions.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, joined by several ministers and more than 150 business leaders, and Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa are among the guests at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.

Donald Trump Jr. and the heads of US investment giants Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and BlackRock are also gathering at the capital’s opulent King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the former royal palace.

FII, dubbed “Davos in the desert,” will once again try to lure investment dollars to Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest oil exporter attempts to diversify its economy.

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