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Scientific Testing Continues for First International AI Olympiad in Riyadh

Participants in the first International AI Olympiad (IAIO) continue their scientific tests in Riyadh - SPA
Participants in the first International AI Olympiad (IAIO) continue their scientific tests in Riyadh - SPA
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Scientific Testing Continues for First International AI Olympiad in Riyadh

Participants in the first International AI Olympiad (IAIO) continue their scientific tests in Riyadh - SPA
Participants in the first International AI Olympiad (IAIO) continue their scientific tests in Riyadh - SPA

Participants in the first International AI Olympiad (IAIO) continue their scientific tests in Riyadh as part of the Global AI Summit.

Representatives from 25 countries are participating in the event, which is organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) and the International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) in Slovenia, under the sponsorship of UNESCO.
The IAIO tests lasted five hours on Wednesday, during which participants individually answered the questions. The names of the gold, silver, and bronze medal winners will be announced on Thursday, SPA reported.
SDAIA aims to make IAIO a global platform for AI competitions, nurturing talents and enhancing their skills. It is envisioned as a meeting point for scientists and enthusiasts from around the world to exchange expertise, develop skills, and stay updated on the latest advancements. SDAIA also aspires for this Olympiad to be the foundation for its future expansion into other countries, marking a significant step in encouraging young people worldwide to create a new generation with a deep understanding of AI technologies, which have become integral to daily lives and business systems.

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Volkswagen Workers to Go on Warning Strikes Across Germany

The Volkswagen logo is displayed on the Volkswagen power plant on the day when Volkswagen AG and the industrial union IG Metall started talks over a new labor agreement for six of its German plants, in Wolfsburg, Germany, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
The Volkswagen logo is displayed on the Volkswagen power plant on the day when Volkswagen AG and the industrial union IG Metall started talks over a new labor agreement for six of its German plants, in Wolfsburg, Germany, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
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Volkswagen Workers to Go on Warning Strikes Across Germany

The Volkswagen logo is displayed on the Volkswagen power plant on the day when Volkswagen AG and the industrial union IG Metall started talks over a new labor agreement for six of its German plants, in Wolfsburg, Germany, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
The Volkswagen logo is displayed on the Volkswagen power plant on the day when Volkswagen AG and the industrial union IG Metall started talks over a new labor agreement for six of its German plants, in Wolfsburg, Germany, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo

Volkswagen workers will go on warning strikes on Monday at plants across Germany, labor union IG Metall said, marking the first large-scale walkouts at Volkswagen's domestic operations since 2018.

The start of the strikes represents a further escalation of a dispute between Europe's top carmaker and its workers over mass layoffs, pay cuts and possible plant closures - drastic measures the company says it cannot rule out in the face of Chinese competition and cooling consumer demand.

Labor representatives at VW had on Nov. 22 voted for limited strikes at German operations from early December after talks over wages and plant closures failed to achieve a breakthrough, Reuters reported.

"If necessary, this will be the toughest collective bargaining battle Volkswagen has ever seen," IG Metall negotiator Thorsten Groeger said in a statement.

The carmaker said it continues to rely on constructive dialogue to find a sustainable solution.

"Volkswagen respects the right of employees to take part in a warning strike," a spokesperson said in reply to the union's announcement, adding that the company had taken steps in advance to ensure a basic level of supplies to customers and minimise the impact of the strike.

Warning strikes in Germany usually last from a few hours.

The union had last week proposed measures it said would save 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion), including forgoing bonuses for 2025 and 2026, which Europe's top carmaker dismissed.

Volkswagen has demanded a 10% wage cut, arguing it needs to slash costs and boost profit to defend market share in the face of cheap competition from China and a drop in European car demand.

The company is threatening to close plants in Germany for the first time in its 87-year history.

"Volkswagen has set fire to our collective agreements and instead of extinguishing this fire in three collective bargaining sessions, the management board is throwing open barrels of petrol into it," Groeger said.

An agreement not to stage walkouts had ended on Saturday, IG Metall said, enabling workers to carry out warning strikes from Sunday across VW AG's German plants.

"Warning strikes will start at all plants from Monday. How long and how intensive this confrontation needs to be is Volkswagen's responsibility at the negotiating table," Groeger said.

Labor representatives and management will meet again on Dec. 9 to carry on negotiations over a new labor agreement for workers at the German business - VW AG - with unions vowing to resist any proposals that do not provide a long-term plan for every VW plant.