Saudi Arabia Partners with World Bank to Ensure No Nation Left Behind on AI

Saudi Arabia and the World Bank announce a long-term partnership to accelerate the use of AI in developing nations. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and the World Bank announce a long-term partnership to accelerate the use of AI in developing nations. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Partners with World Bank to Ensure No Nation Left Behind on AI

Saudi Arabia and the World Bank announce a long-term partnership to accelerate the use of AI in developing nations. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and the World Bank announce a long-term partnership to accelerate the use of AI in developing nations. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and the World Bank announced on Wednesday a long-term partnership to accelerate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing nations in support of economic and development goals.

Director of the National Information Center (NIC) Esam bin Abdullah Alwagait said: "Through this partnership with the World Bank, Saudi Arabia aims to help all countries of the world to unlock the value of Artificial Intelligence and to share the benefits of data-driven decision-making to support economic and social growth.

“Data and AI are at the heart of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and through the development of our own AI agenda and policies, we have developed skills and resources that we want to share to ensure that all nations are equally prepared to harness the value of AI.”

World Bank Vice President of Infrastructure Makhtar Diop stated: "This initiative aims to help governments harness AI technologies while adopting the appropriate safeguards for ensuring privacy and protection as well as inclusivity and unbiased algorithms."

Saudi Arabia unveiled on Wednesday its new National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence (NSDAI) which will make the Kingdom a global leader in AI by 2030.

The National Strategy, which will be led by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), was officially launched at the inaugural Global AI Summit in Riyadh. The two-day summit was launched under the auspices of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.



Turkish Manufacturing Sector Contracts Further in March, PMI Shows

Shoppers walk through the spice bazaar in the Eminonu district of Istanbul on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP)
Shoppers walk through the spice bazaar in the Eminonu district of Istanbul on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP)
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Turkish Manufacturing Sector Contracts Further in March, PMI Shows

Shoppers walk through the spice bazaar in the Eminonu district of Istanbul on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP)
Shoppers walk through the spice bazaar in the Eminonu district of Istanbul on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP)

Türkiye's manufacturing sector contracted further in March, with output and new orders continuing to ease amid difficult market conditions both domestically and internationally, a survey showed on Wednesday.
The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) slipped to 47.3 from 48.3 in February, marking the lowest reading since October last year, survey compilers S&P Global reported. A PMI reading below 50 indicates a contraction in activity, Reuters reported.
March marked the 21st consecutive month of declining new orders, with the slowdown being the most pronounced since last October. New export orders fell at the fastest pace since November 2022.
"Challenging market conditions both at home and abroad meant for further moderations in output and new orders in March as Turkish firms struggled to secure business," said Andrew Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Despite the downturn, there were signs of stabilization in some areas. Inventory levels held steady after 10 months of depletion, and suppliers' delivery times improved for the first time in six months, reflecting reduced demand for inputs.
Inflationary pressures eased slightly although currency weakness continued to drive up costs. Employment in the sector also saw a slight reduction for the fourth consecutive month, though the decrease was the smallest so far this year.
Manufacturers remain cautiously optimistic about future output, hoping for improvements in new orders and demand from the construction sector over the coming year.