stc Group Net Profit for First Quarter of 2025 Increases 11.05%

CEO of stc Group Eng. Olayan Alwetaid highlighted that the group’s achievements were the result of its unwavering commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. Asharq Al-Awsat
CEO of stc Group Eng. Olayan Alwetaid highlighted that the group’s achievements were the result of its unwavering commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. Asharq Al-Awsat
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stc Group Net Profit for First Quarter of 2025 Increases 11.05%

CEO of stc Group Eng. Olayan Alwetaid highlighted that the group’s achievements were the result of its unwavering commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. Asharq Al-Awsat
CEO of stc Group Eng. Olayan Alwetaid highlighted that the group’s achievements were the result of its unwavering commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia’s stc announced on Sunday the company’s preliminary financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, reporting revenues of SAR19,210 million, a 1.60% increase year-over-year.

Gross profit rose by 5.01% to SAR9,098 million, operating profit increased by 2.02% to SAR3,584 million, and EBITDA grew by 5.25% to SAR6,120 million. Net profit for the quarter reached SAR3,649 million, representing an 11.05% increase compared to the same period last year.

According to a statement issued by stc, the group distributed SAR0.55 per share for the first quarter of 2025, in accordance with the dividends distribution policy approved by the General Assembly.

Commenting on the results, CEO of stc Group Eng. Olayan Alwetaid highlighted that the group’s achievements were the result of its unwavering commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth, as well as its relentless pursuit of creating added value for shareholders, customers, and the digital economy as a whole.

He further added that, early in 2025, stc Group achieved several strategic milestones that further solidified its position in the telecommunications and information technology sector. Among these achievements was a new global milestone, as the group successfully localized the software for eSIM technology in collaboration with Thales, making stc the first telecom operator in the world to obtain SAS-UP license certification from the GSMA.

He emphasized that this accomplishment complements stc’s ongoing efforts to support local content in the ICT sector through business localization and the transfer of manufacturing and technical expertise to the Kingdom.
In continuation of the group’s efforts to enhance the digital communication infrastructure in the region, stc signed a strategic agreement with Ooredoo to establish an international ground fiber network corridor between Saudi Arabia and Oman. This strategic partnership aims to enhance the digital communication infrastructure in the region through the project, which starts with the Saudi-Oman corridor. The project will also create an integrated ground fiber network with two backup routes, connecting submarine cable landing stations on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia to their counterparts on the Arabian Sea in Oman, passing through dedicated data centers in both countries. This agreement reaffirms the Group’s commitment to delivering advanced communication solutions, enhancing intercontinental connectivity, and driving digital transformation to support the region’s economic growth.
The statement added that stc Group strengthened its position in cloud computing and artificial intelligence by signing an agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This partnership significantly boosts the Group’s ability to deliver advanced technological solutions tailored to the diverse needs of various sectors, while reaffirming its commitment to driving the shift toward an integrated digital economy and leading the future of smart technology in the Kingdom and beyond.
Furthermore, as part of its commitment to providing the highest quality of digital services, stc Group enhanced its telecommunications network in the Two Holy Mosques during the holy month of Ramadan by strengthening its infrastructure to meet the growing demand for services during peak times. This upgrade resulted in a 120% increase in connection speed, enabling the Group to ensure an exceptional communication experience for visitors to the holy sites during the peak visitor periods.



Four Takeaways from Musk vs OpenAI Trial

 OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrives at the federal courthouse, as the trial in Elon Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's for-profit conversion continues, in Oakland, California, US, May 14, 2026. (Reuters)
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrives at the federal courthouse, as the trial in Elon Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's for-profit conversion continues, in Oakland, California, US, May 14, 2026. (Reuters)
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Four Takeaways from Musk vs OpenAI Trial

 OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrives at the federal courthouse, as the trial in Elon Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's for-profit conversion continues, in Oakland, California, US, May 14, 2026. (Reuters)
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrives at the federal courthouse, as the trial in Elon Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's for-profit conversion continues, in Oakland, California, US, May 14, 2026. (Reuters)

After three weeks of intense hearings, Silicon Valley's first major AI trial -- over the lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against the co-founders of OpenAI -- is nearing an end. It is expected to go to the jury on Monday.

Here are four scenes that defined the trial:

Musk blames his own naivety

At the opening of the trial on April 28, Musk portrayed himself as a selfless benefactor and Good Samaritan concerned with protecting humanity from an AI that, if left in the wrong hands, could "kill us all."

"I came up with the idea, the name, recruited the key people, taught them everything I know, provided all of the initial funding," the SpaceX CEO said regarding OpenAI's founding in 2015.

"I gave $38 million essentially for nothing, which they used to build a company worth $800 billion. I was literally an idiot," he said, blaming his own naivety.

Musk was visibly annoyed during the trial as he called out OpenAI's lawyer for asking questions "designed to trap me."

"Mr. Musk, you are a brilliant man," said OpenAI's lawyer William Savitt, as he doubled down on his attacks, disguised with a show of courtesy.

Altman strikes back

Swapping his usual T-shirt, jeans and sneakers for a dark suit and tie, OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman sat stone-faced in the front row of the Oakland courtroom for most of the proceedings.

But on May 12, it was finally his turn. Musk's lawyer, Steven Molo, was waiting for him, asking if he had always told the truth.

Altman responded: "I'm sure there have been times in my life when I didn't."

But then, with a blank expression and wide eyes, he struck back, saying Musk in 2017 had demanded "90 percent of the equity" and "refused to commit in writing" to sharing power.

Altman said he had no choice as "we did not think that artificial general intelligence should be under the control of a single person."

Brockman's notebook

Every day in the courtroom, Greg Brockman, the president and co-founder of OpenAI, took extensive notes on yellow notepads.

During his questioning on May 4, old journals he kept from years ago took center stage, with Musk's lawyer highlighting some of the most embarrassing excerpts.

Brockman wanted to make money, writing, "financially, what will take me to $1B?" He also wanted "to convert to a b-corp without him (Musk)," a reference to a private company with social and environmental standards.

The journal recorded his concerns about a plan to "steal the non-profit from him (Musk)" as "pretty morally bankrupt."

"There's nothing in there I'm ashamed of," Brockman hit back, claiming that the journal did not include details of an outburst from Musk in 2017.

"I really thought he was going to hit me," Brockman said of the incident. Musk did not touch him, but took a painting of a Tesla, a gift from one of the co-founders, down from the wall and left the room, he said.

Brockman's shares in the company are now worth $30 billion.

The secret go-between

Shivon Zilis -- the mother of four of Musk's children -- is a woman in the shadows, rarely appearing in public.

So her May 6 appearance in the courtroom attracted intense curiosity.

Zilis, who was appointed to the OpenAI board from 2020 to 2023, was asked about her awkward role as both Musk's colleague at Neuralink and Altman's friend.

At the time, her mysterious relationship with Musk was secret. Their children were conceived through in vitro fertilization.

OpenAI accuses her of working as a mole for Musk.

Zilis responded to questions briefly and, at times, sarcastically.

"Relationship is a relative term," she said when asked about her relationship with Musk, before conceding, "there have been romantic moments."

But ultimately, her testimony may matter less than the content of her messages to Musk and Altman.

Those could lead the jury to conclude that Musk, having been sufficiently informed by Zilis, knew of OpenAI's direction long before 2023. If so, his lawsuit could be thrown out before the jury even starts deliberating the merits of the case.


YouTube, Snap and TikTok Settle School District’s Social Media Addiction Claims

The TikTok logo is displayed on signage outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California on September 30, 2025. (AFP)
The TikTok logo is displayed on signage outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California on September 30, 2025. (AFP)
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YouTube, Snap and TikTok Settle School District’s Social Media Addiction Claims

The TikTok logo is displayed on signage outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California on September 30, 2025. (AFP)
The TikTok logo is displayed on signage outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California on September 30, 2025. (AFP)

Alphabet's YouTube, Snap and TikTok have reached settlements in the first case set for trial in litigation seeking to force social media platforms to cover the costs school districts incur to combat a youth mental health crisis they say the companies fueled.

The settlements were detailed in court filings on Friday in federal court in Oakland, California, and resolve claims by a Kentucky school district that is still due to take Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms to trial on June 15.

Terms of the settlements with ‌Breathitt County School District ‌in rural Eastern Kentucky were not disclosed.

"This ‌matter ⁠has been amicably resolved ⁠and our focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls that deliver on that promise," a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement.

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, said it resolved the case amicably. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More than 3,300 lawsuits involving addiction claims are pending in California state court against the social media companies. ⁠Another 2,400 cases brought by individuals, municipalities, states and ‌school districts have been centralized in California ‌federal court.

In a landmark trial, a Los Angeles jury on March ‌25 found Meta and Alphabet's Google negligent for designing social media platforms that ‌are harmful to young people. It awarded a combined $6 million to a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child.

The companies have denied the allegations and say they take extensive steps to keep ‌teens and young users safe on their platforms.

Breathitt is one of about 1,200 school districts suing the social ⁠media companies ⁠over claims they caused a mental health crisis among students and then saddled schools with the fallout.

The school district has been seeking over $60 million to cover the costs of counteracting social media's impact on students’ mental health and to fund a 15-year mental health program to abate the problem.

It also seeks a court order requiring the companies to modify their platforms to reduce addictive features.

Its case is a bellwether, or test case, for over a thousand similar school districts' lawsuits.

Judges and attorneys often use bellwether verdicts to assess the potential value of remaining claims and guide settlement talks. Typically, several bellwether cases are tried before reaching a broader resolution.


Foxconn Logs Quarterly Net Profit Jump on AI Demand

FILE PHOTO: A signage at Foxconn booth at the International Automobile & Motorcycle Parts & Accessories Show (AMPA) trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A signage at Foxconn booth at the International Automobile & Motorcycle Parts & Accessories Show (AMPA) trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
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Foxconn Logs Quarterly Net Profit Jump on AI Demand

FILE PHOTO: A signage at Foxconn booth at the International Automobile & Motorcycle Parts & Accessories Show (AMPA) trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A signage at Foxconn booth at the International Automobile & Motorcycle Parts & Accessories Show (AMPA) trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Taiwanese tech hardware giant Foxconn on Thursday announced a 19-percent jump in quarterly net profit as the booming market for artificial intelligence servers drives growth, despite geopolitical uncertainty.

Foxconn, whose official name is Hon Hai Precision Industry, has gone beyond assembling low-margin iPhones to making AI servers for Nvidia, along with electric vehicles and robots.

Soaring global demand for generative AI tools is boosting business for Foxconn, even as the war in the Middle East has threatened supply chain volatility.

On Thursday the company said net profit for January-March came to NT$49.9 billion (US$1.6 billion), up from NT$42.1 billion in the same period the previous year.

The figure beat estimates of $48.4 billion in a Bloomberg survey of analysts, AFP reported.

Foxconn said it expects "strong demand for AI servers" to continue this year, forecasting "high double-digit quarter-on-quarter growth" for AI rack shipments in the second quarter.

When the company reported its annual results in March, chairman Young Liu had shrugged off concerns that market volatility caused by global conflict would dent profits.

Taiwanese contract chipmaker TSMC has also said it does not expect geopolitics to impact its supply of key materials such as helium and hydrogen in the near term.

On Wednesday, some of Foxconn's factories in North America suffered a cyberattack, according to a company statement.

"The affected factories are currently resuming normal production," after a response from the cybersecurity team, said the statement dated Wednesday afternoon in Taiwan.

TechCrunch and other media outlets reported that ransomware gang Nitrogen had claimed responsibility for the hack on the dark web.