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Saudi Arabia Scraps ‘The Line’ Megacity Plan in Favour of Massive AI Server Farms
Saudi Arabia is reportedly shifting its focus away from the futuristic megacity known as The Line, choosing instead to prioritise the construction of large-scale artificial-intelligence server farms in the desert.
The dramatic pivot marks a major change to one of the world’s most ambitious urban development projects. Originally announced in 2021 as part of the NEOM development, The Line was envisioned as a revolutionary city stretching 170 kilometres across the desert with mirrored skyscrapers, no cars, and room for up to nine million residents.
The project was a centrepiece of the economic transformation strategy driven by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, designed to modernise the kingdom under the national reform programme Vision 2030.
From futuristic city to AI infrastructure
However, recent reports suggest the Saudi government has dramatically scaled back the urban vision due to soaring costs and construction challenges. Instead of focusing on building a vast new city, officials are now prioritising the development of AI computing hubs and data centres within the NEOM region.
These facilities would house thousands of high-performance servers used to train artificial-intelligence models and run advanced computing systems. With global demand for AI processing power surging, Saudi Arabia sees an opportunity to position itself as a major global centre for data and AI infrastructure.
Experts say the remote desert location and proximity to the Red Sea could make the region ideal for large server facilities, which require enormous amounts of electricity and cooling systems.
Cost and practicality concerns
The original megacity plan faced growing scrutiny as estimates suggested the project could cost several trillion dollars, far exceeding the initial budget of around $500 billion.
Constructing mirrored skyscrapers across hundreds of kilometres of desert terrain also raised engineering and logistical challenges, with critics questioning whether the full vision could realistically be completed within decades.
As a result, Saudi planners are now believed to be focusing on technology infrastructure that can generate economic returns more quickly, rather than building an entire futuristic metropolis from scratch.
A strategic AI race
The move reflects the growing global race to dominate artificial intelligence. Countries and technology companies are investing billions in AI data centres, which are essential for training systems similar to those used by firms like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.
By building one of the world’s largest AI server farms, Saudi Arabia hopes to attract international tech firms and position itself as a major hub for next-generation computing and digital innovation.
The future of NEOM
While The Line has not been completely cancelled, the project is expected to be far smaller than originally planned, with only limited sections possibly being built in the coming years.
For now, the kingdom’s focus appears to be shifting toward infrastructure that powers the digital economy—suggesting that server racks and AI processors may replace the sci-fi skyline once promised in the Saudi desert.
Attached is a news article regarding Saudi Arabia building a Ai farm
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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