Saudi Arabia Ranks 1st in Government Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Tortoise Global AI Index

The Kingdom ranked first in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence and secured 31st position in the total classification indicators issued by Tortoise
The Kingdom ranked first in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence and secured 31st position in the total classification indicators issued by Tortoise
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Saudi Arabia Ranks 1st in Government Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Tortoise Global AI Index

The Kingdom ranked first in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence and secured 31st position in the total classification indicators issued by Tortoise
The Kingdom ranked first in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence and secured 31st position in the total classification indicators issued by Tortoise

Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence, one of the indicators of the global classification of artificial intelligence issued by Tortoise Intelligence, which evaluates more than 60 countries in the world.

Germany and China secured the second and third rankings, respectively.

The Global Ranking of Artificial Intelligence incorporates more than 100 indicators, categorized into seven sub-pillars: government strategy, research, development, talent, infrastructure, operating environment, and commercial.

The Kingdom ranked first in the Government Strategy Index for Artificial Intelligence and secured 31st position in the total classification indicators issued by Tortoise, a company that has a global advisory board that includes experts in artificial intelligence from around the world.

The Kingdom has accomplished a remarkable feat, scoring 100% in all criteria of the index related to artificial intelligence. This includes the establishment of the National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI) within the Kingdom, the presence of a dedicated government authority for artificial intelligence, the allocation of funding and budget for AI initiatives, and the formulation and monitoring of national targets for artificial intelligence.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has led the national plans for data and artificial intelligence to achieve the aspirations of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the SDAIA Board of Directors, and the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

It has worked to develop the National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI) to unify efforts and launch national initiatives in data and artificial intelligence and make optimal use of them.

This significant achievement by the Kingdom perfectly aligns with the overarching goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to position the country prominently in global indicators across various domains.



Albania Bans TikTok for a Year after Killing of Teenager

A view of the TikTok app logo, in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2020. (AP)
A view of the TikTok app logo, in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2020. (AP)
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Albania Bans TikTok for a Year after Killing of Teenager

A view of the TikTok app logo, in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2020. (AP)
A view of the TikTok app logo, in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2020. (AP)

Albania on Saturday announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the popular short video app, following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children.

The ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, will come into effect early next year, Prime Minister Edi Rama said after meeting with parents' groups and teachers from across the country.

"For one year, we'll be completely shutting it down for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania," Rama said.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.

Several European countries including France, Germany and Belgium have enforced restrictions on social media use for children. In one of the world's toughest regulations targeting Big Tech, Australia approved in November a complete social media ban for children under 16.

Rama has blamed social media, and TikTok in particular, for fueling violence among youth in and outside school.

His government's decision comes after a 14-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in November by a fellow pupil. Local media had reported that the incident followed arguments between the two boys on social media. Videos had also emerged on TikTok of minors supporting the killing.

"The problem today is not our children, the problem today is us, the problem today is our society, the problem today is TikTok and all the others that are taking our children hostage," Rama said.