Saudi industry minister highlights youth, technology drive at WEF

SPA

Davos, Jan 20, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef said the Kingdom’s most important resource is its young talent, alongside its natural resources such as oil, gas, petrochemicals and minerals, during a World Economic Forum panel in Davos.

Speaking at a session titled “The Human Code: Designing Capability Systems” at the Saudi House, Alkhorayef said the challenge is to turn that human capital into sustainable value through education, training and skills development, while accelerating the adoption of technology across sectors.

He said Saudi youth are increasingly drawn to technology-based roles and that attracting them to industries such as mining requires transforming traditional sectors into modern, technology-driven industries built on innovation and competitiveness.

Alkhorayef said the Kingdom is investing in advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence to support industrial transformation, including by identifying roles and tasks that can be automated. He said technology is reshaping industrial models and enabling more diversified industrial capabilities.

He called for coordinated action between the public and private sectors, citing the need for infrastructure in remote areas, training and capacity building, and investment in technologies to ensure sustainability.

Alkhorayef said national companies including SABIC, Aramco, Ma’aden, stc and the Saudi Electricity Company play a role in helping entrepreneurs and innovators test and deploy new technologies in industrial environments.

On mining, he said the Kingdom was moving quickly to explore and develop mineral resources while adhering to sustainability, productivity and energy-efficiency standards, including through modern mine management and remote mining operations.