The Trump administration is clearing a path for two key Persian Gulf allies to pursue their artificial intelligence ambitions — and some of the biggest US tech companies are seizing on that opening with plans to spend billions of dollars in the region.

Amazon, Google, and Nvidia are among those who struck deals during Trump's visit to the Middle East, his first major overseas trip of his second term.

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria's president in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and urged him to normalise ties with longtime foe Israel after a surprise U.S. announcement that it would lift all sanctions on the Islamist-led government.