Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions

08:23-4 September 2024 AD ـ 01 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1446 AH

Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is participating in the 2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing underway in Greece.

Major technology companies and artificial intelligence (AI) experts are attending the conference, which runs from August 31 to September 5.

During the conference, SDAIA tackled code-switching within sentences (CS), a common phenomenon in spoken languages that presents a significant challenge for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems.

This is particularly relevant for those studying comparative linguistic phenomena, given the rarity of suitable data and the complexities of Arabic dialects.

The presentation focused on leveraging advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance CS-ASR systems by generating text data that includes code-switching between Arabic and English.

The International Conference on Speech Processing Technologies is one of the leading global events in acoustic technologies. SDAIA is a pioneer in this field with its Voice system, developed by Saudi expertise.

The system allows speech-to-text conversion in Modern Standard Arabic and various Arabic dialects. It can be used for automating meeting transcriptions, developing chatbots, and building interactive voice systems.

SDAIA’s contribution to the conference includes sponsoring a workshop -- SyNDATA4GENAI 2024 -- in collaboration with SCAI, organized by several experts.

SDAIA is keen to participate in such major events to highlight the importance of advanced technologies and the progress achieved by Saudi Arabia in this field.

Technology

Toyota, Maruti Launch Marketing Drive for Hybrids in Key Indian State

Toyota's logo is seen in their exhibition stall at Bharat Mobility Global Expo organised by India's commerce ministry at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India, February 1, 2024. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Asharq Al Awsat

15:46-3 September 2024 AD ـ 29 Safar 1446 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

15:46-3 September 2024 AD ـ 29 Safar 1446 AH

Toyota, Maruti Launch Marketing Drive for Hybrids in Key Indian State

From Instagram ads to telesales, Japanese automakers Toyota and Maruti Suzuki are going all out to market their hybrid cars in the most populous Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, aiming to cash in on tax waivers that upset many of their rivals.

The waivers have split India's auto industry, with Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra and Hyundai arguing their sales of pure electric cars will suffer. Their lobbying to reverse the July decision failed last month and they now fear other states might follow suit, Reuters reported

At the Sunny Toyota showroom in Uttar Pradesh's capital of Lucknow, salespeople have been tasked to call customers who visited in the last six months to tell them about the benefits of hybrid tax waivers that will help them save $15,800 on the luxury Toyota Vellfire model and $5,200 on its Camry sedan.

"Save big .... Order now and get your hybrid vehicle delivered right at your doorstep," said an Instagram ad by the dealer.

The campaign comes after a rare lobbying win by Toyota to get the state - which accounts for a tenth of India's car sales - to allow tax waivers on sale of hybrid cars, leading to roughly 10% in savings.

India imposes a federal tax of 5% on EVs while hybrids are taxed at 43%, just below the 48% for gasoline cars, but state taxes are extra and determined by local governments.

Toyota has globally focused more on hybrids - which combine gasoline engines and batteries - than EVs. That strategy could pay off as worries about charging infrastructure and high prices curb demand for EVs globally, while sales of hybrids pick up.

In Uttar Pradesh, six salespeople for Toyota and Maruti Suzuki - which also supports the waivers - said hybrid enquires were rising and they had been asked by the companies to increase sales.

"We have been asked to sell a minimum of 250 cars in a month. There is a lot of pressure. We are trying to shift all sales to hybrids," a Maruti salesperson said.

Toyota did not respond to a request for comment.

Rahul Bharti, executive director for corporate affairs at Maruti, said its showroom enquiries had "nearly doubled since the benefits have been effected" for hybrids.

Online and WhatsApp ads reviewed by Reuters show dealerships are using taglines including: "Enjoy the nil road tax offer" and "Say Good Bye to Diesel".

At the Sunny Toyota dealership which Reuters visited, salespeople were discussing approaching all customers who were keen to buy gasoline or diesel variants and might now be tempted to buy more expensive hybrid cars given the tax waiver.

Some dealers are advising customers to move quickly.

"No one knows how long the scheme would run," said Praveen Saxena, a sales manager at a Toyota showroom in Kanpur city in the state, adding his hybrid car sales rose 50% after the tax waivers.

K.S. Dhatwalia, a former Indian government official, chose to buy a new Toyota hybrid Hyryder, partly because of tax benefits.

"Hybrids are less polluting and there was an additional tax saving too," he said.

Saudi SDAIA Showcases Latest Speech Recognition Solutions