Saudi Arabia’s NHC, NAVER Agree to Operate Smart City Solutions for Digital Twin Platform 'Baladi'

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s NHC, NAVER Agree to Operate Smart City Solutions for Digital Twin Platform 'Baladi'

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. (SPA)

In a pioneering move towards digital transformation, Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company (NHC) signed on Sunday a contract with the Republic of Korea's NAVER Cloud Platform to implement smart city solutions on the digital twin platform "Baladi."

The collaboration aims to adopt global best practices in the municipal and housing sectors by utilizing innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced cloud services.

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail.

The integration will facilitate the development of advanced digital solutions in major cities across Saudi Arabia, including 3D maps, simulation models for urban planning and flood management, and monitoring and control centers.

The partnership aligns with NHC's commitment as the leading developer of residential communities to boost digital capabilities in the municipal and housing sectors and achieve a sustainable future that supports the aspirations of citizens and the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.



Italy's Antitrust Takes Aim at Google over Personal Data Usage

FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo can be seen on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo can be seen on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
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Italy's Antitrust Takes Aim at Google over Personal Data Usage

FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo can be seen on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
FILED - 09 January 2024, US, Las Vegas: The Google logo can be seen on the Internet company's pavilion at the CES technology trade fair. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa

Italy's antitrust agency said on Thursday it had launched an investigation into online search giant Google and its parent company Alphabet over alleged unfair commercial practices involving users' personal data.
The request for consent that Google sends to its users to connect its multiple services "could constitute misleading and aggressive commercial practice", the watchdog said.
This "incomplete and misleading," information supplied to users fails to clarify the impact their consent may have on the use their personal data, the antitrust authority, which is in charge of overseeing consumer rights, added.
Google offers a wide range of online tools, including video platform YouTube, email service Gmail, and Maps.
The antitrust body said Google presented its request for users' consent in a way that could limit their freedom of choice, by inducing them to agree to a combined usage of personal data by different Google services.
"We will analyze the details of this case and will work cooperatively with the authority," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
Under Italian legislation companies found in breach of consumer rights rules face fines ranging from 5,000 euros to 10 million euros.