Global AI Summit paves the way for exciting new developments in KSA

robot ai

5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IOT) amongst others are integral parts of the new world, as countries sharpen their focus on the latest technologies to digitize their institutions and improve quality of life for their citizens.

Saudi Arabia hosted the Global AI Summit under the title “Artificial Intelligence for the Good of Humanity” on the 21st and 22 of October 2020. The summit, which was held under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, presented a unique opportunity to discuss the AI ecosystem and to encourage collaboration moving forward.

As such, Saudi Arabia signed three strategic agreements with Huawei and Alibaba, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to develop a global framework that supports international cooperation in the field of AI.

The agreement with Huawei will help train Saudi AI engineers and students to tackle Arabic language AI-related capabilities, according to the summit’s decisions.

As for the agreement with China’s Alibaba Group, the collaboration will focus on developing digital AI solutions in several areas including safety and security, mobility, urban planning, energy, education and health. Cities in Saudi Arabia will benefit from Alibaba Cloud’s AI platform, enabling intelligent management of city services and other smart solutions for citizens.

The third deal between Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is aimed at supporting and strengthening efforts to enhance the benefits of AI technologies and applications for environmental development. The deal also includes creating initiatives such as an “AI Readiness Landscape Framework” that would explore and identify the country’s progress related to AI policy frameworks.

The summit aims to make Riyadh a global hub for artificial intelligence, which will be organized annually to showcase the most compelling projects and initiatives.

According the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), “The summit promised to map the future of AI collectively and without exceptions, as the Kingdom launched international cooperation opportunities with global partners to unleash the potential of artificial intelligence for humanity.”

Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, President of the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence, delivered a speech on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stressing that “2020 is an exceptional year to test the potential of artificial intelligence at a time when a new global situation is forming that will restore and define lifestyles, business and learning.”