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Saudi Arabia Signs Contracts Worth $426.6 Mln to Boost Defense Research and Development

GADD hosts the second edition of the JISR 2025 Forum on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
GADD hosts the second edition of the JISR 2025 Forum on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Signs Contracts Worth $426.6 Mln to Boost Defense Research and Development

GADD hosts the second edition of the JISR 2025 Forum on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
GADD hosts the second edition of the JISR 2025 Forum on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi General Authority for Defense Development (GADD) has signed contracts worth over SAR 1.6 billion ($426.6 million) in 2024 to support research in five key areas addressing military and security priorities. These efforts align with Saudi Arabia’s broader goal of localizing 50% of its military spending by 2030.

Established four years ago, GADD is responsible for regulating, supervising and promoting research, development, and innovation in defense technologies and national security. It aims to advance these fields while fostering the localization of defense sector outputs.

On Sunday, GADD hosted the second edition of the JISR 2025 Forum, bringing together 29 local universities, research centers and national companies, alongside international institutions from the UK and France. The event showcased the scientific achievements of over 90 students.

Speaking at the forum in Riyadh, GADD Governor Dr. Faleh Al-Sulaiman highlighted Saudi Arabia’s progress in scientific and technological research, noting that the Kingdom has published over 55,000 research papers and registered more than 2,700 patents.

The first edition of the forum led to 23 research projects across six Saudi universities, strengthening ties between academia and the defense industry, he remarked.

Dr. Abdullah Aba Al-Khail, Director of Corporate Communications at GADD, stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat the authority’s commitment to enhancing Saudi Arabia’s defense self-sufficiency by fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

Over the past year, students have contributed 68 research projects across five main fields and 40 specialized topics addressing military and security needs, he revealed. These projects, supported by previously signed contracts worth SAR 1.6 billion, aim to integrate university expertise into industrial applications.

Students at the forum presented research projects aimed at advancing security and military technology. Iman Al-Attas, a PhD student at King Abdulaziz University, developed a deepfake detection model capable of identifying AI-generated fraudulent videos, helping to prevent identity fraud and misinformation.

Mansour Al-Harithi, a PhD researcher at King Saud University, is working on nano-sensors designed to detect hazardous pollutants in water with extreme sensitivity, even at minimal concentrations.

Nouf Al-Hibad, an AI master’s student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, is developing wearable authentication technology that verifies user identity based on movement patterns and sensor data, complementing facial and retinal recognition.

Students praised GADD’s financial and logistical support, which has enabled them to turn research concepts into marketable products, contributing to the localization of Saudi defense spending. Founded in 2021 under a government decision, GADD operates as an independent entity directly linked to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. It plays a central role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s defense research, innovation and localization efforts.

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Technology

Amazon Says Blocked 1,800 North Koreans from Applying for Jobs

Amazon logo (Reuters)
Amazon logo (Reuters)
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Amazon Says Blocked 1,800 North Koreans from Applying for Jobs

Amazon logo (Reuters)
Amazon logo (Reuters)

US tech giant Amazon said it has blocked over 1,800 North Koreans from joining the company, as Pyongyang sends large numbers of IT workers overseas to earn and launder funds.

In a post on LinkedIn, Amazon's Chief Security Officer Stephen Schmidt said last week that North Korean workers had been "attempting to secure remote IT jobs with companies worldwide, particularly in the US".

He said the firm had seen nearly a one-third rise in applications by North Koreans in the past year, reported AFP.

The North Koreans typically use "laptop farms" -- a computer in the United States operated remotely from outside the country, he said.

He warned the problem wasn't specific to Amazon and "is likely happening at scale across the industry".

Tell-tale signs of North Korean workers, Schmidt said, included wrongly formatted phone numbers and dodgy academic credentials.

In July, a woman in Arizona was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for running a laptop farm helping North Korean IT workers secure remote jobs at more than 300 US companies.

The scheme generated more than $17 million in revenue for her and North Korea, officials said.

Last year, Seoul's intelligence agency warned that North Korean operatives had used LinkedIn to pose as recruiters and approach South Koreans working at defense firms to obtain information on their technologies.

"North Korea is actively training cyber personnel and infiltrating key locations worldwide," Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP.

"Given Amazon's business nature, the motive seems largely economic, with a high likelihood that the operation was planned to steal financial assets," he added.

North Korea's cyber-warfare program dates back to at least the mid-1990s.

It has since grown into a 6,000-strong cyber unit known as Bureau 121, which operates from several countries, according to a 2020 US military report.

In November, Washington announced sanctions on eight individuals accused of being "state-sponsored hackers", whose illicit operations were conducted "to fund the regime's nuclear weapons program" by stealing and laundering money.

The US Department of the Treasury has accused North Korea-affiliated cybercriminals of stealing over $3 billion over the past three years, primarily in cryptocurrency.

Technology

KAUST Scientists Develop AI-Generated Data to Improve Environmental Disaster Tracking

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
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KAUST Scientists Develop AI-Generated Data to Improve Environmental Disaster Tracking

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and SARsatX, a Saudi company specializing in Earth observation technologies, have developed computer-generated data to train deep learning models to predict oil spills.

According to KAUST, validating the use of synthetic data is crucial for monitoring environmental disasters, as early detection and rapid response can significantly reduce the risks of environmental damage.

Dean of the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division at KAUST Dr. Matthew McCabe noted that one of the biggest challenges in environmental applications of artificial intelligence is the shortage of high-quality training data.

He explained that this challenge can be addressed by using deep learning to generate synthetic data from a very small sample of real data and then training predictive AI models on it.

This approach can significantly enhance efforts to protect the marine environment by enabling faster and more reliable monitoring of oil spills while reducing the logistical and environmental challenges associated with data collection.

Technology

Uber, Lyft to Test Baidu Robotaxis in UK from Next Year 

A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
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Uber, Lyft to Test Baidu Robotaxis in UK from Next Year 

A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)

Uber Technologies and Lyft are teaming up with Chinese tech giant Baidu to try out driverless taxis in the UK next year, marking a major step in the global race to commercialize robotaxis.

It highlights how ride-hailing platforms are accelerating autonomous rollout through partnerships, positioning London as an early proving ground for large-scale robotaxi services ‌in Europe.

Lyft, meanwhile, plans ‌to deploy Baidu's ‌autonomous ⁠vehicles in Germany ‌and the UK under its platform, pending regulatory approval. Both companies have abandoned in-house development of autonomous vehicles and now rely on alliances to accelerate adoption.

The partnerships underscore how global robotaxi rollouts are gaining momentum. ⁠Alphabet's Waymo said in October it would start ‌tests in London this ‍month, while Baidu ‍and WeRide have launched operations in the ‍Middle East and Switzerland.

Robotaxis promise safer, greener and more cost-efficient rides, but profitability remains uncertain. Public companies like Pony.ai and WeRide are still loss-making, and analysts warn the economics of expensive fleets could pressure margins ⁠for platforms such as Uber and Lyft.

Analysts have said hybrid networks, mixing robotaxis with human drivers, may be the most viable model to manage demand peaks and pricing.

Lyft completed its $200 million acquisition of European taxi app FreeNow from BMW and Mercedes-Benz in July, marking its first major expansion beyond North America and ‌giving the US ride-hailing firm access to nine countries across Europe.