Drones, Technology Localization Top ‘AI’ Discussions in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing from May 22 to 24. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing from May 22 to 24. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Drones, Technology Localization Top ‘AI’ Discussions in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing from May 22 to 24. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing from May 22 to 24. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Experts at the International Exhibition and Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing, held in Riyadh, discussed enhancing AI for the drone sector in smart cities and the possibility of localizing the technology in the Kingdom.

They also tackled mapping cloud digital transformation and the role of AI in the customer services industry, with the participation of several local, regional, and global companies.

Saudi Arabia aims to compete in global markets and against developed countries by enhancing sustainability, creating jobs, investing in entrepreneurship, attracting global investments in various fields, and incubating SMEs and large companies to support the Saudi economy, Prince Fahd bin Abdullah Al Saud, advisor to the Saudi Ministry of Interior, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The Kingdom seeks to fully digitize vital sectors and adopt technological transformation through plans based on providing technical solutions to improve performance, reduce costs and make all sectors in the Kingdom more efficient and smart,” Wafi bin Hammad Albalawi, vice president of the Saudi Electronic University, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Albalawi pointed to a recent study conducted by the US-based company Accenture, which said that investment in artificial intelligence will increase the Saudi gross domestic product by 12.5 % and will inject more than $215 billion into the Saudi economy by 2035.

This can encourage the adoption of technology and innovation within Saudi SMEs, especially since the Kingdom enjoys the largest share in the digital industries market.

Saudi Arabia has continuously adopted digital transformation to serve its national transformation plan, dubbed Kingdom Vision 2030.

Maher Uday, a specialist in digital interaction systems at Avaya, which specializes in the customer services industry, stressed the acceleration of process automation in the field of customer service in general.

Uday predicted that, during the next two years, the automation of e-marketing will boom in various customer service fields.

This will affect a number of activities such as booking flights, ordering food from restaurants, booking a taxi, and purchasing other online products using AI.

Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing from May 22 to 24. The event features leaders and pioneers in the technology sectors, both in local, global government, and private institutions.

This conference is one of the most specialized and widely spread events globally and seeks to foster innovation and increase competitiveness.

It offers a platform for collaboration between AI leaders and investors to create a better future. The conference offers discussion panels and workshops that will address relevant topics such as artificial intelligence, data science, the internet, cybersecurity, big data, and more.

Saudi Arabia seeks to digitize many vital sectors and adopt technological transformation through steps based on digital solutions, to improve performance, reduce costs and raise efficiency, as well as create an attractive environment for investors and entrepreneurs.



Saudi Ports Authority Signs $53 Million Deal to Establish Logistics Zone at Dammam Port

Mazen bin Ahmed Al-Turki, Acting President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), and Ali Sultan Al-Qahtani, Chairman of Sultan Logistics, during the signing of the agreement. (Mawani)
Mazen bin Ahmed Al-Turki, Acting President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), and Ali Sultan Al-Qahtani, Chairman of Sultan Logistics, during the signing of the agreement. (Mawani)
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Saudi Ports Authority Signs $53 Million Deal to Establish Logistics Zone at Dammam Port

Mazen bin Ahmed Al-Turki, Acting President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), and Ali Sultan Al-Qahtani, Chairman of Sultan Logistics, during the signing of the agreement. (Mawani)
Mazen bin Ahmed Al-Turki, Acting President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), and Ali Sultan Al-Qahtani, Chairman of Sultan Logistics, during the signing of the agreement. (Mawani)

Saudi Arabia’s Ports Authority (Mawani) signed an agreement with Sultan Logistics to develop a new logistics zone at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, in the eastern region of the Kingdom. The investment is valued at SAR 200 million ($53.3 million) and will cover a total area of 197,000 square meters.

The contract was signed by Mawani’s Acting President Mazen bin Ahmed Al-Turki and Sultan Logistics Chairman Ali Sultan Al-Qahtani in the presence of several officials.

The new zone will include 35,000 square meters of warehousing space, administrative offices, and a designated yard for storing and maintaining both dry and refrigerated containers. It will also feature a re-export area, aiming to boost the port’s operational efficiency and the quality of logistics services provided.

The project is part of Mawani’s broader initiatives aligned with the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to develop logistics zones both inside and outside the Kingdom’s ports. These efforts support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global logistics hub and to offer high-efficiency services in line with the nation’s Vision 2030 development roadmap.

The logistics zone at King Abdulaziz Port is expected to boost the port’s competitiveness by offering specialized logistics services, increasing the private sector’s contribution to economic development, and furthering economic diversification.

The year 2024 has already seen the launch or groundbreaking of eight logistics zones and centers across the Kingdom, with a total private sector investment of approximately SAR 2.9 billion ($773 million). These zones are part of a broader logistics infrastructure development plan involving over SAR 10 billion ($2.66 billion) in investments across 20 logistics zones overseen by Mawani.

Among the key milestones was the opening of Maersk’s largest global logistics investment at Jeddah Islamic Port—an expansive facility worth SAR 1.3 billion ($346.5 million) covering 225,000 square meters.