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This year marks a significant milestone in the strategic partnership between the US and ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, as we celebrate 80 years of robust bilateral relations. The relationship between our two nations has evolved into a multifaceted, multigenerational alliance, encompassing economic, political and cultural dimensions. While we applaud the successes we have shared and the strong economic ties we enjoy, the focus of the US Chamber of Commerce is on the future of our commercial and innovation collaboration — and what our economic future can become.

The burgeoning of US-Saudi relations traces back to the historic meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy on Feb. 14, 1945. This pivotal meeting laid the foundation for a strategic partnership based on mutual trust, respect and benefit that has endured through the decades. While this partnership has shown itself adaptable to shifting geopolitical landscapes, commercial cooperation and shared economic interests have served as a sturdy anchor of the US-Saudi relationship.

American companies have long served as key partners in ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s economic development, providing best-in-class products, cutting-edge technology and an exceptional workforce. This collaboration has been particularly evident in the energy sector, where American businesses have played a pivotal role in the exploration and development of ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s vast natural resources. American companies have also been integral as suppliers and partners supporting US-Saudi cooperation in defense and security, vital in addressing common threats and bringing security and stability to the Gulf region and beyond.

Our mutual economic focus has expanded beyond energy and defense to embrace the knowledge-based innovation economy.

Steve Lutes

In recent years, our mutual economic focus has expanded beyond energy and defense to embrace the knowledge-based innovation economy. The Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the Saudi economy, is fueling an economic transformation in the Kingdom focused on technology and innovation and serves as the cornerstone in this new chapter in our countries’ relationship. The US Chamber and American businesses have been a strong partner to the Kingdom in working to fulfill the economic objectives of Vision 2030 by fostering new partnerships in innovation, promoting investments in technology and cultivating a business climate significantly spurring more US tech investment.

In fact, nearly 80 years to the day after that meeting on the USS Quincy, the Chamber was in Riyadh for LEAP 2025, an annual conference in ºÚÁÏÉçÇø focused on advancing digital technologies and artificial intelligence. At LEAP, the new era of the US-Saudi economic partnership was on full display, with American technology companies announcing partnerships to support the Kingdom’s digital transformation goals and workforce development through AI skilling programs, investments in digital infrastructure and expansions of cloud services.

President Donald Trump’s visit to ºÚÁÏÉçÇø this week presents an important opportunity to significantly enhance the bilateral US-Saudi economic relationship through a series of strategic agreements and mutually beneficial investments and commercial collaborations.

We should expect strategic deals with American companies strengthening defense ties, as well as deals in the energy sector building on decades of partnerships and shared success — and, hopefully, a new commitment to partnering in developing the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in mineral reserves. And we should expect deals with American companies bringing their expertise and technologies to support the Kingdom’s giga-projects and infrastructure priorities.

We should forge a strategic partnership in AI and digital technologies as the key to our shared economic future.

Steve Lutes

What else should we focus on? We should forge a strategic partnership in AI and digital technologies as the key to our shared economic future, akin to that which our nations have developed in energy and defense. ºÚÁÏÉçÇø is intensely focused on achieving a digital economic transformation and becoming a global AI hub. This vision, combined with its energy resources, investment capital and highly educated workforce, is already attracting significant attention and activity with American technology companies and investors. A strategic partnership between our governments that creates a framework for collaboration in AI, digital infrastructure, data connectivity, quantum computing and cloud services is critical to the path forward.

One outcome of President Trump’s trip to ºÚÁÏÉçÇø is certain: there will be a deepening of economic ties between our nations. At the US Chamber, we strongly support a broader, more dynamic US-Saudi economic relationship that not only builds on our strong legacies but that also merges the ambitions, capabilities and resources of each country to create mutual prosperity through an alignment in AI technologies, digital infrastructure and innovation.

• Steve Lutes is vice president (Middle East) for the US Chamber of Commerce.