Saudi Arabia Surges to 14th Position in Global AI Index, 1st in Arab World

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Surges to 14th Position in Global AI Index, 1st in Arab World

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has achieved a significant milestone in the field of artificial intelligence, securing 14th place globally and the top spot in the Arab world in the Global AI Index for 2024, published by Tortoise Intelligence.

The remarkable 17-rank improvement among 83 countries underscores Saudi Arabia's rapid progress in AI adoption and development.

The Kingdom's continued leadership in the Government Strategy sub-pillar solidifies its position as a global AI leader.

Its seventh-place ranking in the Commercial Ecosystem sub-pillar further demonstrates its commitment to investing in AI technologies and fostering a thriving AI ecosystem.

The Global AI Index, a comprehensive assessment of AI capabilities across 83 countries, evaluates performance based on 122 indicators grouped into three pillars: Implementation, Innovation, and Investment. The pillars are further divided into seven sub-pillars: Talent, Infrastructure, Operating Environment, Research, Development, Government Strategy, and Commercial Ecosystem.

The achievement highlights the unwavering support provided by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).

Under his guidance, SDAIA has been instrumental in advancing the field of data and AI, developing national capabilities, and fostering innovation. This strategic approach positions Saudi Arabia as a leading data-driven and AI-powered economy.



Canada Sues Google over Alleged Anticompetitive Practices in Online Ads

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is shown on a building in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is shown on a building in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
TT

Canada Sues Google over Alleged Anticompetitive Practices in Online Ads

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is shown on a building in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is shown on a building in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Canada's antitrust watchdog said Thursday it is suing Google over alleged anticompetitive conduct in the tech giant’s online advertising business and wants the company to sell off two of its ad tech services and pay a penalty.
The Competition Bureau said that such action is necessary because an investigation into Google found that the company “unlawfully” tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its dominant market position, The Associated Press said.
The matter is now headed for the Competition Tribunal, a quasi-judicial body that hears cases brought forward by the competition commissioner about non-compliance with the Competition Act.
The bureau is asking the tribunal to order Google to sell its publisher ad server, DoubleClick for Publishers, and its ad exchange, AdX. It estimates Google holds a market share of 90% in publisher ad servers, 70% in advertiser networks, 60% in demand-side platforms and 50% in ad exchanges.
This dominance, the bureau said, has discouraged competition from rivals, inhibited innovation, inflated advertising costs and reduced publisher revenues.
“Google has abused its dominant position in online advertising in Canada by engaging in conduct that locks market participants into using its own ad tech tools, excluding competitors, and distorting the competitive process," Matthew Boswell, Commissioner of Competition, said in a statement.
Google, however, maintains the online advertising market is a highly competitive sector.
Dan Taylor, Google’s vice president of global ads, said in a statement that the bureau’s complaint “ignores the intense competition where ad buyers and sellers have plenty of choice.”
The statement added that Google intends to defend itself against the allegation.
US regulators want a federal judge to break up Google to prevent the company from continuing to squash competition through its dominant search engine after a court found it had maintained an abusive monopoly over the past decade.
The proposed breakup, floated in a 23-page document filed this month by the US Department of Justice, calls for sweeping punishments that would include a sale of Google’s industry-leading Chrome web browser and impose restrictions to prevent Android from favoring its own search engine.