Nokia opened a research and development center in Riyadh on Tuesday, its first in Saudi Arabia, dedicated to building AI-powered network automation software. The facility will develop systems that let communications networks self-configure, self-heal, and optimize energy use - technology destined for customers inside the Kingdom and for export worldwide.
The center specializes in Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), Self-Organizing Networks (SON), Autopilot, and rApps. These are the software categories that shift network operations from manual configuration toward autonomous control. Teams will also explore AI-native capabilities for 6G architectures.
What the center will build
The Riyadh lab focuses on making networks run with less human intervention. SMO and SON platforms allow infrastructure to detect faults, reroute traffic, and tune parameters without an engineer logging into a console. Autopilot functions extend that logic across multi-vendor environments, while rApps - applications running on the RAN Intelligent Controller - handle granular radio-level adjustments for energy savings and performance.
For network engineers, this means the toolchain is shifting. The center's output will feed into Nokia's existing automation portfolio, but the "Made in Saudi" designation signals that some intellectual property will originate from this team rather than from Nokia's established R&D sites in Finland or the United States.
Local talent and Saudi Vision 2030
The launch follows an agreement signed earlier this year between Saudi Arabia's Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Nokia CEO Justin Hotard. It aligns with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plan to build a knowledge economy less dependent on oil revenue. The center will create engineering and research roles and run boot camps and certification programs in AI and automation for Saudi nationals.
Eng. Abdulrahman AlMufadda, Deputy Minister for Telecom and Infrastructure at MCIT, said the center "represents a strategic step toward strengthening the Kingdom's position as a global hub for intelligent network technology innovation." He added that it will contribute to "developing national talent in AI and software, and creating technologies made in Saudi Arabia that can serve global markets."
Executive view
Mikko Lavanti, President of Middle East and Africa at Nokia, tied the investment directly to industry change: "AI is reshaping every industry, and networks are the critical infrastructure that will make that transformation possible. Our new R&D center in Riyadh will bring Nokia's global expertise together with Saudi talent to develop AI-powered automation that makes networks more autonomous, efficient and responsive."
Why this matters for IT and development professionals
When a major infrastructure vendor opens a dedicated automation R&D center, the software that emerges eventually lands in production environments. Network engineers and administrators will increasingly interact with AI-driven orchestration layers rather than configuring devices directly. Skills in SMO platforms, rApp development, and AI-assisted network operations are moving from niche to baseline. Professionals who want to stay ahead of that shift can build foundational knowledge through structured learning - an AI Learning Path for Network Engineers or an AI Learning Path for Network Administrators covers the same automation domains this Riyadh center is now commercializing.
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