On May 18, 2026, Aramco and Pasqal officially inaugurated Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer at Aramco’s data center in Dhahran. Concurrent with the hardware launch, Aramco confirmed that building the Kingdom’s quantum workforce is a named workstream within the companies’ structured quantum program, placing workforce development alongside operational use cases such as port logistics optimization, CO₂ storage optimization, well placement, and rig scheduling.
According to Aramco’s official announcement, the two companies have built the program around “high-value operational challenges across multiple workstreams, where quantum-hybrid approaches unlock capabilities beyond classical computing.” Building the Kingdom’s quantum workforce and making quantum computing available throughout the region are explicitly listed among those workstreams.
Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation, framed the workforce commitment in national terms. According to Al-Khowaiter, Aramco is “building world-class quantum expertise right here in the Kingdom” through joint training and research investment. He called for the milestone to serve as a catalyst for creating “high-impact, future-ready jobs for our youth and advancing Saudi Vision 2030.”
Under the partnership terms, Pasqal will provide training programs and joint research opportunities for Saudi engineers and scientists, with the stated goal of strengthening the Kingdom’s quantum ecosystem and supporting the development of high-tech talent. The Pasqal Quantum Processing Unit deployed at Dhahran uses neutral-atom technology and controls 200 programmable qubits. External organizations, including research institutions, universities, and enterprises, can access the system through Pasqal’s cloud platform.
The workforce development effort is situated within Saudi Arabia’s broader push under Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and build a knowledge-based innovation ecosystem. According to Arab News, the inauguration and the embedded workforce program represent a step toward “building sovereign deep-tech capability and creating the high-skilled jobs the plan envisions for Saudi youth.”