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Saudi Transport Minister Launches Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles 

Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Transport Minister Launches Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles 

Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Board of the Transport General Authority Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser launched on Wednesday the Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles in Riyadh.

This milestone marks a significant step aimed at enabling advanced technology and expanding the development of a smart and safe transportation ecosystem in the Kingdom.

The initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and is an extension of Saudi Vision 2030 towards adopting sustainable mobility solutions powered by the latest artificial intelligence technologies.

This project is the result of an integrated partnership that brings together the transport and logistics ecosystem and relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology ecosystem, the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), in addition to private sector partners represented by technology and operations partners Uber, WeRide, and AiDriver.

The autonomous vehicles in this phase will operate within a real-world environment covering King Khalid International Airport and several key locations across Riyadh, including major highways and selected city center destinations.

This phase is implemented under the direct regulatory and technical supervision of the Transport General Authority. The vehicles will transport passengers with a safety officer onboard each vehicle to ensure safety and monitor the performance of smart systems in actual operating conditions.

Al-Jasser stressed that the launch of the initial operational phase reflects the Kingdom’s ambitious vision to build a smart and integrated transport system that supports economic growth and enhances quality of life.

Enabling modern technologies and developing regulatory and operational frameworks are key pillars to expanding the implementation of this technology and supporting the transformation of the transport sector, he added.

The initiative is an extension of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote sustainability, improve mobility efficiency, and localize innovation. This project represents a pioneering model of public-private partnership, paving the way for a future of safer and smarter mobility, he stated.

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ByteDance Quietly Rolls Out SeeDance 2.0 Globally

A smartphone displays the logo of Seedance 2.0, the image-to-video and text-to-video AI model. Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP/File
A smartphone displays the logo of Seedance 2.0, the image-to-video and text-to-video AI model. Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP/File
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ByteDance Quietly Rolls Out SeeDance 2.0 Globally

A smartphone displays the logo of Seedance 2.0, the image-to-video and text-to-video AI model. Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP/File
A smartphone displays the logo of Seedance 2.0, the image-to-video and text-to-video AI model. Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP/File

Chinese artificial intelligence powerhouse and TikTok creator ByteDance has quietly rolled out its latest video generator SeeDance 2.0 worldwide, while its US rival OpenAI called time on a similar product.

The SeeDance 2.0 model was launched in China last month, both stunning and spooking the entertainment industry with its ability to produce near-Hollywood-quality clips from simple text prompts.

However, it has also sparked concerns over copyright infringement, said AFP.

"We have further expanded Dreamina Seedance 2.0 in more markets in CapCut today, across Africa, South America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with more regions coming soon," CapCut, ByteDance's popular video editing tool, posted on X on Thursday.

It said the SeeDance 2.0 model would initially be available to some paid users.

The rollout includes "firm safeguards" to prevent violations of its safety policies, including the unauthorized use of individuals' likenesses or intellectual property, CapCut said.

Major Hollywood production studios including Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros and Netflix, have threatened legal action against Beijing-based ByteDance over accusations of copyright infringement.

Reports this month suggested that backlash had prompted ByteDance to pause SeeDance 2.0's global launch.

It was not immediately clear if ByteDance had resolved those legal issues. The United States is not among the current rollout markets.

ByteDance, which runs popular short video platforms TikTok and Douyin, has invested heavily in AI in recent years against a backdrop of increasing global regulatory scrutiny of such platforms.

ByteDance announced on Friday the sale of Moonton, an important gaming asset, to a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund for more than $6 billion.

Moonton runs Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, one of Southeast Asia's most popular gaming titles.

ByteDance's move coincides with a broader shift in the AI industry towards more "agentic" tools that focus on performing practical, real-life tasks.

US AI giant OpenAI said on Tuesday it was shutting down its popular consumer-facing video-generating service Sora, a move widely understood to focus more on providing business users with agentic AI capacities.

Technology

South Korea to Invest $166 Million in AI Chip Startup Rebellions

People walk near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, 22 March 2026. The band performed their comeback concert on 21 March. EPA/YONHAP
People walk near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, 22 March 2026. The band performed their comeback concert on 21 March. EPA/YONHAP
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South Korea to Invest $166 Million in AI Chip Startup Rebellions

People walk near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, 22 March 2026. The band performed their comeback concert on 21 March. EPA/YONHAP
People walk near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, 22 March 2026. The band performed their comeback concert on 21 March. EPA/YONHAP

South Korea's industry ministry on Tuesday said the Financial Services Commission's advisory board approved a 250 billion won ($166 million) investment in a local artificial intelligence chip startup called Rebellions, part of a government-backed push to nurture a homegrown advanced semiconductor firm.

Here are some details:

South Korea's Financial Services Commission advisory board, which evaluates investments in advanced strategic industries, ⁠approved a 250 ⁠billion won direct investment into Rebellions, an AI chip startup.

Rebellions, founded in 2020, designs neural processing units (NPUs) that handle AI computations.

The decision was made at a ⁠fund management committee meeting for the state-led "National Growth Fund," marking the first direct investment under the country's "K-Nvidia" initiative.

The funding will support Rebellions' mass production of NPU chips and the development of next-generation AI semiconductors, the industry ministry said in a statement.

The "K-Nvidia" project, jointly led by the Financial Services Commission and the ⁠Ministry ⁠of Science and ICT, seeks to nurture a globally competitive AI chip company amid intensifying competition in the sector, which is dominated by US firms like Nvidia.

The move underscores Seoul's efforts to strengthen its position in the AI supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign technology, as demand for high-performance computing chips surges.

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Uber, Autonomous Mobility Firms to Launch Europe's 1st Commercial Robotaxis

Aerial photo shows light installation during the Festival of Lights in Zagreb, Croatia, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic
Aerial photo shows light installation during the Festival of Lights in Zagreb, Croatia, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic
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Uber, Autonomous Mobility Firms to Launch Europe's 1st Commercial Robotaxis

Aerial photo shows light installation during the Festival of Lights in Zagreb, Croatia, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic
Aerial photo shows light installation during the Festival of Lights in Zagreb, Croatia, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

Uber Technologies and autonomous mobility companies Verne and Pony.ai have partnered up to launch Europe's first commercial robotaxi service in the Croatian capital Zagreb, with plans to expand to other cities, they said on Thursday.

Robotaxis are rapidly expanding into US cities as companies race to commercialize ⁠autonomous ride-hailing worldwide.

Alphabet's ⁠Waymo remains the early leader, while Tesla hopes its vast manufacturing scale and financial resources could reshape the competitive landscape.

The first ⁠commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb will be launched "soon,” the companies said.

Initial deployment work is underway, including public-road validation.

Pony.ai will provide autonomous driving solutions, while Verne will act as the fleet owner and service operator.

The three companies plan ⁠to ⁠expand the fleet to thousands of robotaxis in European cities over the next few years.

Uber and Nvidia said earlier this month they planned to expand their robotaxi service in 28 cities across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.