IBM and Aramco announced on May 5 their intention to collaborate on advancing artificial intelligence, agentic AI, automation, material science, and other areas within the industrial sector. The announcement was made at THINK Boston, IBM’s global flagship event, attended by Arvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IBM; Sami Al Ajmi, Senior Vice President of Digital & Information Technology at Aramco; as well as senior executives from industry, public sector representatives, and academia.
The planned collaboration aims to combine IBM’s technology platforms and consulting expertise with Aramco’s large-scale industrial operations and energy sector knowledge. Both organizations said they will explore practical applications of AI, hybrid cloud computing, and advanced technologies in industrial environments. The goal is to leverage each company’s strengths to create high-impact solutions that drive innovation across the energy sector.
Sami Al Ajmi said: “Technology and innovation are central to Aramco’s long-term strategy. This collaboration with IBM enables us to assess how industrial AI and other mutually-agreed domains can further enhance operational excellence and resilience, while reinforcing our leadership in Industrial AI—particularly in reliability, safety, and mission-critical environments.”
Saad Toma, General Manager for IBM Middle East and Africa said: “Combining Innovation and advanced technology represents the next frontier in enterprise transformation. By collaborating with Aramco, we are exploring how emerging technologies are addressing some of the world’s most complex industrial challenges, while reinforcing our shared commitment to continuous investment in innovation.”
Aramco and IBM have worked together since 1947 through various technological changes from foundational systems to modern digital platforms. Their partnership has focused on driving innovation at scale through successive waves of technology adoption.
The companies stated that their planned collaboration remains subject to reaching definitive agreements. Statements regarding IBM’s future direction represent goals only.
