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Day 3 of LEAP25 Conference in Riyadh Sees $1.79 Billion in Technology Investments

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
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Day 3 of LEAP25 Conference in Riyadh Sees $1.79 Billion in Technology Investments

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation and a global destination for tech and artificial-intelligence (AI) investments.

Tuesday's announced investments totaled $1.79 billion, focusing on digital talent development; support for research, development, and innovation; AI; cloud computing; and strengthening technological infrastructure.

The Saudi Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) announced the launch of the third cohort of the Emerging Technology Regulatory Sandbox, enabling innovators and startups to test new technologies in a flexible and secure regulatory environment and facilitating their market entry.

Equinix announced the launch of the region's largest cloud-computing data center, with an investment exceeding $1 billion, further solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for cloud service providers and technological innovation.

White Helmets announced the launch of the "Asif" AI agent to enhance efficiency and accuracy in construction projects, keeping pace with future developments.

At the investment fund level, Hands On Global Management announced the launch of a $300 million fund to develop and distribute games locally and internationally. The company also revealed plans to establish a new headquarters in the Kingdom to support the growth of the gaming industry and expand its global reach.

In support of startups, the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) launched accelerators and funding funds worth $150 million to foster innovation in the information-technology (IT) sector and drive the growth of tech startups in Saudi Arabia.

Joa Capital launched the first infrastructure fund in partnership with Buildnow Trading, with an $80 million investment to meet the needs of the Kingdom's thriving construction sector.

Ula Capital announced the launch of the first Saudi fund dedicated to investing in applied AI and deep tech projects, with a value of $75 million, to strengthen the Kingdom’s leadership in these advanced fields and support technological innovation in the region.

To reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a leading driver of innovation and growth in the region, Sharaka Financial announced the launch of a $30 million investment fund to support the growth of startups across the Middle East and North Africa.

Meanwhile, Orbit Startups, in collaboration with Sanabil Investments, introduced a $60 million accelerator program aimed at investing in 200 early-stage tech startups.

Regarding startup funding rounds, Merit announced the successful completion of its Series B investment round, securing $28 million to enhance its innovative tech solutions and expand its global market presence.

In addition, UltiAcademy secured $28 million in a Series B funding round led by Rua Ventures, with key participation from the Jordan Investment and Venture Capital Fund. The investment will support the company’s expansion in the Kingdom and the launch of a generative AI-powered digital learning platform to enhance the digital learning experience across the region.

BRKZ closed the second phase of its Series A funding round, securing $22.5 million to expand the smart construction sector in the Kingdom through advanced technology solutions, supporting smart-city projects.

Buildnow announced securing $9.76 million in funding, led by Arbah and STV, to boost its advanced digital solutions for the construction supply chain across the Middle East and North Africa.

Hydratac Inc. announced a $3 million investment in Hands On Global Management’s fund to develop military shooting simulation games, aiming to drive innovation in the regional gaming industry and expand interactive experiences in this field.

As part of efforts to develop national digital talent, Microsoft announced a collaboration with the National Academy of Information Technology to launch the region’s first datacenter academy, offering specialized programs in AI and technological infrastructure.

Huawei announced the expansion of its investments in digital talent development with the launch of the AI Knowledge Hub, aimed at promoting lifelong learning and training 25,000 people.

Meanwhile, Accenture revealed the establishment of its first academy in the region, focusing on cybersecurity, data and AI, digital engineering and manufacturing, and emerging technologies, with a target of training 15,000 individuals.

Atomcamp announced the launch of a regional academy to provide advanced education in data science and AI, aiming to enhance the capabilities of talent in the Kingdom and the region, with a target of training 20,000 people.

Torod company closed its Series A funding round, raising $11.3 million, led by Waed company, to support the development of the first AI-powered logistics agent.

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Technology

OpenAI Introducing Ads to ChatGPT

FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken May 20, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken May 20, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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OpenAI Introducing Ads to ChatGPT

FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken May 20, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken May 20, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

OpenAI announced Thursday it will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, as the wildly popular artificial intelligence chatbot seeks to increase revenue to cover its soaring costs.

The ads will initially appear in the United States for free and lower-tier subscribers, the company said in a blog post outlining its long-anticipated move into advertising.

The integration of advertising has been a key question for generative AI chatbots, with companies largely reluctant to interrupt the user experience with ads.

But the exorbitant costs of running AI services may have forced OpenAI's hand.
Only a small percentage of its nearly one billion users pay for subscription services, putting pressure on the company to find new revenue sources.

Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, OpenAI's valuation has soared to $500 billion in funding rounds -- higher than any other private company. Some expect it could go public with a trillion-dollar valuation.

But the ChatGPT maker burns through cash at a furious rate, mostly on the powerful computing required to deliver its services.

With its move, OpenAI brings its business model closer to tech giants Google and Meta, which have built advertising empires on the back of their free-to-use services.

Unlike OpenAI, those companies have massive advertising revenue to fund AI innovation -- with Amazon also building a solid ad business on its shopping and video streaming platforms.

"Ads aren't a distraction from the gen AI race; they're how OpenAI stays in it," said Jeremy Goldman, an analyst at Emarketer.

"If ChatGPT turns on ads, OpenAI is admitting something simple and consequential: the race isn't just about model quality anymore; it's about monetizing attention without poisoning trust," he added.

OpenAI's pivot comes as Google gains ground in the generative AI race, infusing services including Gmail, Maps and YouTube with AI features that -- in addition to its Gemini chatbot -- compete directly with ChatGPT.

To address concerns about its pivot into advertising, OpenAI pledged that ads would never influence ChatGPT's answers and that user conversations would remain private from advertisers.

"Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you," the company stated, according to AFP. "Answers are optimized based on what's most helpful to you. Ads are always separate and clearly labeled."

In an apparent reference to Meta, TikTok and Google's YouTube -- platforms accused of maximizing user engagement to boost ad views -- OpenAI said it would "not optimize for time spent in ChatGPT."

"We prioritize user trust and user experience over revenue," it added.

The commitment to user well-being is a sensitive issue for OpenAI, which has faced accusations of allowing ChatGPT to prioritize emotional engagement over safety, allegedly contributing to mental distress among some users.

Technology

US Allows Nvidia to Send Advanced AI Chips to China with Restrictions

An Nvidia logo and a computer motherboard appear in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. (Reuters)
An Nvidia logo and a computer motherboard appear in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. (Reuters)
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US Allows Nvidia to Send Advanced AI Chips to China with Restrictions

An Nvidia logo and a computer motherboard appear in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. (Reuters)
An Nvidia logo and a computer motherboard appear in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. (Reuters)

The US Commerce Department on Tuesday opened the door for Nvidia to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips in China with restrictions, following through on a policy shift announced last month by President Donald Trump.

The change would permit Nvidia to sell its powerful H200 chip to Chinese buyers if certain conditions are met -- including proof of "sufficient" US supply -- while sales of its most advanced processors would still be blocked.

However, uncertainty has grown over how much demand there will be from Chinese companies, as Beijing has reportedly been encouraging tech companies to use homegrown chips.

Chinese officials have informed some firms they would only approve buying H200 chips under special circumstances, such as development labs or university research, news website The Information reported Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

The Information had previously reported that Chinese officials were calling on companies there to pause H200 purchases while they deliberated requiring them to buy a certain ratio of AI chips made by Nvidia rivals in China.

In its official update on Tuesday, the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said it had changed the licensing review policy for H200 and similar chips from a presumption of denial to handling applications case-by-case.

Trump announced in December an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to allow Nvidia to export its H200 chips to China, with the US government getting a 25-percent cut of sales.

The move marked a significant shift in US export policy for advanced AI chips, which Joe Biden's administration had heavily restricted over national security concerns about Chinese military applications.

Democrats in Congress have criticized the move as a huge mistake that will help China's military and economy.

- Chinese chips -

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has advocated for the company to be allowed to sell some of its more advanced chips in China, arguing the importance of AI systems around the world being built on US technology.

The chips -- graphic processing units or GPUs -- are used to train the AI models that are the bedrock of the generative AI revolution launched with the release of ChatGPT in 2022.

The GPU sector is dominated by Nvidia, now the world's most valuable company thanks to frenzied global demand and optimism for AI.

H200s are roughly 18 months behind the US company's most state-of-the-art offerings, which will still be off-limits to China.

Nvidia's Huang has repeatedly warned that China is just "nanoseconds behind" the United States as it accelerates the development of domestically produced advanced chips.

On Wednesday, leading Chinese AI startup Zhipu said it had used homegrown Huawei chips to train its new image generator.

Zhipu AI described its tool as "the first state-of-the-art multimodal model to complete the entire training process on a domestically produced chip".

The startup went public in Hong Kong last week and its shares have since soared 75 percent -- one of several dazzling recent initial public offerings by Chinese chip and generative AI companies, as high hopes for the sector outweigh concerns of a potential market crash.

Technology

Apple Rolls Out Creator Studio to Boost Services Push, Adds AI Features

A customer compares his old iPhone with the newly launched iPhone 17 pro max at an Apple retail store in Delhi, India, September 19, 2025. (Reuters)
A customer compares his old iPhone with the newly launched iPhone 17 pro max at an Apple retail store in Delhi, India, September 19, 2025. (Reuters)
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Apple Rolls Out Creator Studio to Boost Services Push, Adds AI Features

A customer compares his old iPhone with the newly launched iPhone 17 pro max at an Apple retail store in Delhi, India, September 19, 2025. (Reuters)
A customer compares his old iPhone with the newly launched iPhone 17 pro max at an Apple retail store in Delhi, India, September 19, 2025. (Reuters)

Apple on Tuesday unveiled Apple Creator Studio, a new subscription bundle of professional creative software priced at $12.99 a month or $129 a year, as the iPhone maker steps up its push into paid services for creators, students and professionals.

The company has used its services business, which includes its Apple ‌Music and ‌iCloud services, to drive ‌growth ⁠in recent ‌years, helping counter slower hardware growth and generate recurring revenue.

Apple Creator Studio bundles some of the company's best-known creative tools into a single subscription, including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro ⁠and Pixelmator Pro across Mac and iPad.

The ‌package also adds premium ‍content and ‍new AI-powered features to Apple's productivity apps ‍Keynote, Pages and Numbers, while digital whiteboarding app Freeform will gain enhanced features later.

Final Cut Pro will offer new tools such as transcript-based search, visual search and beat detection to ⁠speed up video editing, while Logic Pro introduces AI-powered features like Synth Player and Chord ID to assist with music creation.

The company's Photoshop-alternative Pixelmator Pro will be available on iPad for the first time and will offer Apple Pencil support.

The subscription launches January 28 on ‌the App Store, Apple said.