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Smart infrastructure at scale: Riyadh’s AI-driven coordination breakthrough

Jacobs and Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center (RIPC) deploy artificial intelligence (AI), data integration and agile collaboration to reshape urban development and reduce disruption
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Cities & Places

Riyadh is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by giga-projects, urban growth and major global events such as Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. With this surge comes significant infrastructure planning challenges. Historically, utilities—such as electricity, telecom and roads—developed independently, creating inefficiencies, repeated disruptions and a lack of coordinated oversight.

To address this, the Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center (RIPC) and Jacobs introduced a groundbreaking Integrated Infrastructure Coordination Plan (IICP), powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation.

150000

infrastructure permits managed each year

5000 +

potential project conflicts identified and prevented

1

unified AI-powered platform transforming urban coordination

Tackling complex infrastructure challenges

With more than 150,000 infrastructure permits issued annually, Riyadh needed a streamlined method to minimize disruptions, use resources efficiently and raise infrastructure quality. Key issues included:

  • Overlapping projects causing conflicts and delays
  • Fragmented legacy data systems
  • Pressures from accelerated development timelines
  • Excessive excavation and resurfacing due to poor coordination

Jacobs collaborated with RIPC to solve these problems and lay the foundation for sustainable urban growth.

A strategic, digital approach

Jacobs supported RIPC with a data-led, agile strategy based on four pillars:

1. Centralized data standardization
  • Integrated data from all sectors into a single, authoritative source
  • Applied international best practices to eliminate data silos
 
2. Advanced AI-enabled digital platform
  • Predictive analytics flagged and prevented thousands of project conflicts
  • Efficient scheduling, analyzing thousands of projects on a weekly basis to publish an optimized, clash-free schedule
  • Dynamic operation reduced repeat excavation and lowered costs
  • Intuitive and friendly user interface, enabling real-time, interactive project updates aligned to a robust governance framework.
 
3. Strengthened stakeholder coordination
  • Supported creation of a Joint Operations Working Group (JOWG) with 15+ stakeholders
  • Led agile workshops to ensure fast, aligned decision-making
 
4. Agile development
  • Used iterative sprint cycles to improve the platform based on user feedback and evolving city needs
 

Measurable impact

The IICP has already delivered significant results:

  • 5,000+ infrastructure conflicts prevented, reducing road closures and public disruption
  • Scenario-based conflict breakdowns, providing tangible outcomes across key metrics (e.g., traffic, costs and delivery timelines)
  • Conflict deep-dive analyses, enabling stakeholder alignment and integrated, collaborative cross-party planning.
  • Improved efficiency, cutting repeat excavations and supporting sustainability goals
  • Real-time data access through powerful user interfaces and dashboards, empowering RIPC and its stakeholders to make data-driven strategic decisions
  • Enhanced quality of life, with smoother traffic, cleaner environments and healthier communities

  • “Infrastructure is a really complex issue, and Jacobs is helping RIPC resolve this. The AI-driven solution allows us to coordinate hundreds of thousands of projects without compromising quality of life, while reducing emissions and costs. This scalable platform sets a new global standard.”
    Bader Al-Tamimi
    Senior Vice President for Planning, Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center

Infrastructure with people at its core

Jacobs and RIPC share a common belief: people come first.

“People should always come first. Their safety and our environment must remain top priorities, as Jacobs clearly demonstrates. Infrastructure coordination is about prosperity, progress and well-being.” adds Bader.

Future-ready urban planning

The platform’s flexibility positions Riyadh for continued success. Planned enhancements include:

  • Smarter predictive capabilities and automation
  • Enhanced semantic modeling for deeper insights
  • Broader stakeholder integration and communication tools

A model for global cities

This initiative demonstrates how AI, data and collaboration can unlock new levels of performance in city planning. The IICP is a replicable model for other growing urban centers and marks a major leap forward in infrastructure management.