Shaheen III Supercomputer Accelerates Saudi Scientific Innovation
KAUST has unveiled Shaheen III, a new HPE Cray EX-based supercomputer.
Moreover, the system ranks first in the Middle East and 18th globally on the TOP500 list. It features direct liquid cooling and 2,800 NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchips, offering more than three times the processing power of the region’s previous CPU-based system. In October 2025, KAUST completed GPU acceptance and ownership transfer under required export licensing conditions.
Research capabilities and regional applications
Shaheen III will power Arabic-centric small and large language models, thus improving regional natural-language AI. Furthermore, it will enable a comprehensive digital twin of the Arabian Peninsula, coupling atmosphere, ocean, and land models for advanced climate and environmental simulations.
Consequently, researchers can model extreme events, optimise maritime traffic, and improve oil-spill response planning. In addition, the platform supports remote sensing workflows for wildlife monitoring and scalable tools for agriculture and water management of strategic crops.
Scientific impact and AI-driven discovery
Beyond environmental science, Shaheen III will accelerate materials discovery and chemistry automation via a 24×7 robotic laboratory concept. Also, the system will enhance healthcare research by improving medical imaging, speeding rare-disease diagnostics, and supporting population-specific AI models.
Therefore, Shaheen III is positioned to expand KAUST’s contributions across climate science, energy, healthcare, and AI-driven discovery. Finally, the supercomputer aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by strengthening research, development, and innovation capacities for long-term economic diversification.
