The World’s Eyes Turn to Riyadh for Launch of LEAP 24

The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
TT

The World’s Eyes Turn to Riyadh for Launch of LEAP 24

The second edition of LEAP (SPA)
The second edition of LEAP (SPA)

LEAP24, the world’s largest technological exhibition, kicked off on Monday in Riyadh, with the participation of more than 1,800 international and local exhibitors, and more than 1,000 technical experts and 600 startup companies.

Organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, the exhibition, which runs from March 4 to 7, highlights the latest technology industries and unveils government AI initiatives and the newest innovations.

In its current edition, the conference has expanded the number of participants from major technical exhibitors in the world, in addition to the presence of an elite group of expert speakers and international companies.

The current version will see the participation of world tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, Cisco, SAP, Amazon Web Services, Alibaba, Huawei, Ericsson, and others.

More than 30 government agencies are competing to showcase their advanced digital services, through the “Digital Saudi Arabia” exhibition, organized by the Digital Government Authority within the activities of LEAP 24, with the participation of many government and private agencies.

The event aims to enhance the Kingdom’s international position as an innovative digital environment, highlight success stories in the digital transformation journey, and its importance at the regional and international levels, in addition to unveiling the most prominent digital government services aimed at raising the quality of life and enhancing competitiveness.

The exhibition will see government agencies and national companies showcasing their digital products and services based on innovative models using emerging technologies, in addition to the signing of strategic agreements and the launching of new services, dialogue sessions for a number of ministers and officials, and workshops in the field of digital transformation.

The LEAP conference witnessed rapid developments over its years, as the total number of launches increased from $6.4 billion in the first edition to more than $9 billion in the second edition, while the number of attendees increased from 100,000 visitors in the first edition to more than 172,000 in the second year.



Alswaha: Saudi Arabia's Participation at WEF Strengthens Global Efforts in AI Technologies

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha. SPA file photo
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha. SPA file photo
TT

Alswaha: Saudi Arabia's Participation at WEF Strengthens Global Efforts in AI Technologies

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha. SPA file photo
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha. SPA file photo

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha has underlined the Kingdom's pivotal role in driving the global agenda to enhance the digital economy, foster innovation, and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to serve humanity and protect the planet.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), he highlighted that the Kingdom's international standing is a result of the support and guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The minister explained that Saudi Arabia's participation in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, held from January 20 to 24, comes at a time when the world is transitioning from the digital age to the AI age.

This underscores the Kingdom's significant role in leading global efforts to promote innovation and utilize AI for the benefit of humanity.

He noted that the annual high-profile gathering provides a global platform to showcase the Kingdom's developmental, economic, and technological achievements under the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, made possible by the support of the Kingdom's leadership.

Alswaha said that Saudi Arabia is working in partnership with the international community to harness AI as a key tool for advancing sustainable development and achieving global goals, adding that these efforts aim to improve quality of life, support the digital economy, and create new job opportunities across various sectors, contributing to a sustainable and prosperous future for all.