Editage, the flagship brand of Cactus Communications (CACTUS), successfully hosted the Saudi Research Summit 2026 in Riyadh to explore the role of artificial intelligence in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s research ecosystem. The summit, themed “AI-Powered Research Excellence,” served as a strategic platform for discussions on how responsible AI adoption can enhance research productivity, institutional competitiveness, and global academic impact in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
The summit convened key decision-makers from universities and institutions, policymakers, research leaders, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing emphasis on innovation, digital transformation, and knowledge-driven development. Through in-depth exchanges, the event highlighted how AI-enabled tools and workflows are reshaping the future of research and scholarly communication.
Akhilesh Ayer, CEO, Cactus Communications, said, “Our commitment towards supporting Saudi’s Vision 2030 is reflected in how we innovate for the research ecosystem. With research and innovation at the heart of national progress, CACTUS is working closely with academic institutions in Saudi Arabia to embed responsible AI across research workflows and help build a resilient, future-ready research landscape.”
The summit featured a keynote address by Prof. Mike Grandinetti, Harvard Business School, USA, who shared perspectives on AI, innovation, and leadership in advancing national research ambitions. Following this was a panel discussion with Dr. Sulaiman Bin Ibrahim Al-Riyayi, General Director, Consultant and Expert; Dr. Abdulrahman Niazy, Director at Prince Naif bin Abdulazziz Health Research Center, King Saud University; and Prof. Fatemah Almofarrah, Director of the Scientific Research Centre, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, moderated by Ruchi Chauhan, Vice President & Head of Marketing (RoW), Cactus Communications.
Siddharth Bhatia, Chief Growth Officer (Institutional Sales), Cactus Communications, said, “As Saudi Arabia scales its research ambitions, the focus is shifting towards building reliable, high-quality research workflows powered by AI. The summit reflected this transition, with institutions exploring how technology can be embedded responsibly across research lifecycle. Through Editage, CACTUS is committed to working with institutions across the globe including Saudi Arabia to advance their Vision 2030 goals with purpose-built AI solutions that enable high-quality research dissemination globally.”
Saudi Research Summit 2026 emphasized the role of cross-institutional engagement and responsible AI adoption in advancing academic research. Aligned with Saudi’s Vision 2030, Editage works closely with universities and institutions to enable high-quality research that is credible, widely discoverable, and effectively communicated through a combined strength of technology and human expertise.
