STC Group, Microsoft Team Up for Corporate Digital Transformation Innovation across Saudi Arabia

A man passes the Saudi Telecom STC office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 6, 2018. (Reuters)
A man passes the Saudi Telecom STC office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 6, 2018. (Reuters)
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STC Group, Microsoft Team Up for Corporate Digital Transformation Innovation across Saudi Arabia

A man passes the Saudi Telecom STC office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 6, 2018. (Reuters)
A man passes the Saudi Telecom STC office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 6, 2018. (Reuters)

stc group, an engine of digital transformation, announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Microsoft to further advance its digitalization and drive innovation across Saudi Arabia.

As part of the partnership, the organizations will jointly develop and deploy cutting-edge solutions that will transform and empower organizations across various industries, while enabling small businesses to grow and thrive in the digital economy, according to a press release by stc, SPA reported.

"Our strategic partnership with Microsoft marks a defining moment in the history of digital transformation for both stc group and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said stc group CEO Olayan Alwetaid.

“This collaboration isn't just about technology; it's about promoting a future where Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of global innovation, setting the standard for what's possible in the digital age. Together with Microsoft, we will work to bring the latest technologies to Saudi Arabia and help businesses of all sizes to embrace digital transformation, advance economic diversification, and create a more vibrant and prosperous future for our country.”

The collaboration between the organizations, the release said, aims to enable stc’s subsidiaries to explore new markets, develop disruptive business models, and bring innovative products and services to market. By jointly developing and deploying the latest advanced technologies, the partnership aims to support high-quality, safe, and secure digital experiences for businesses across the Kingdom.

The alliance will also serve as an innovation powerhouse, powering the transformation of industries from the Kingdom to the world.

“We are excited about this next phase in our journey with stc. Our aim is to empower businesses of all sizes and industries with tailored digital solutions that enable them to innovate and solve their unique challenges to drive equitable business growth.” Said President Microsoft EMEA Ralph Haupter.



Tesla Halts Driving-Assistance Software Trial in China, Pending Approval 

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
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Tesla Halts Driving-Assistance Software Trial in China, Pending Approval 

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)

Tesla said on Monday it would release its smart driving-assistance feature in China after completing regulatory approval, following complaints that a limited-time free trial of its Full Self-Driving service had been temporarily paused.

"All parties are actively advancing the relevant process and we will push it to you as soon as it is ready. We are also looking forward to it, please wait patiently," Tesla's customer support said on social media platform Weibo.

The message was posted as a comment under a feed of Tesla vice president Grace Tao's Weibo account.

The company said last Monday that it would launch the free trial of its FSD service in China between March 17 and April 16.

FSD is a suite of driving-assistance technologies developed with generative artificial intelligence to cope with more complicated traffic conditions.

Tesla is aiming for a full roll out of FSD this year, and is working with Chinese tech giant Baidu to improve the performance of the system, Reuters previously reported.

Tesla has offered such trials in the United States, where its FSD system does not require navigation maps to be accurate or up-to-date because local training of the AI helps the technology drive better.

But in China, Tesla has been unable to train the system with data from its 2 million EVs because of the country's data laws.

In late February, China's industry ministry issued new rules requiring autonomous driving-related over-the-air software upgrades to be subject to regulatory approval.