Saudi EV investments top $10b; Baykar in $367m Kuwait deal
Saudi EV investments top $10b; Baykar in $367m Kuwait deal
Middle East AI News weekly news digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News!
Well, Sam Altman has now concluded his world tour, but there’s still plenty of AI news across the Middle East!
There’s big EV news from Saudi Arabia as a $5.6 billion investment deal is signed with Shanghai-based electric vehicle manufacturer Human Horizon. Together with previous announcements, this will take the Kingdom’s planned investments in the sector to well over $10 billion as it aims to become a global EV exporter.
Also lots of drone news this week, from A Saudi project to use 40 drones to monitor the 4,000 square kilometre Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, to Kuwait’s $367 million order for military drones from Baykar.
Meanwhile, Subway announces its first digital ad made using generative AI.
Scroll down for more AI news from across the region.
Thanks for reading!
/Carrington
FEATURED
Saudi EV investments to top $10 billion
#Saudi #EVs - Saudi Arabia's investments in the electric vehicle sector now look sure to top $10 billion, after a new $5.6b deal is signed with Chinese EV firm Human Horizons. The Kingdom is building a new sector that will manufacture and export hundreds of thousands of EVs. (Middle East AI News)
Saudi signs $5.6B deal with Chinese EV firm
#Saudi #EVs - Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment inked a $5.6B deal with Chinese EV company, Human Horizons, for vehicle development, manufacturing, and sales, contributing over half to the $10 billion investments announced on day one of an Arab-China business conference. (Reuters)
Autonomous Vehicles
EasyMile helps shape Saudi autonomous driving policy
#Saudi #driverlessvehicles - Saudi's Transport General Authority, the Ministry of Transport and Royal Commission for Riyadh City are collaborating with French urban mobility company EasyMile on autonomous driving regulations, leveraging two driverless shuttles being used in a trial at King Saud University. (EasyMile)
Autonomous Retail
Astra Tech opens autonomous store in Abu Dhabi
#UAE #faceID - UAE tech group, Astra Tech, opens the country's first autonomous store using facial recognition for payments. Known as B Store, this AI-powered innovation offers customers a seamless shopping experience in Abu Dhabi's Sky Tower. Facial ID payment technology from PayBy. (Zawya)
AI Strategy
Egypt's Union Party proposes national AI strategy
#Egypt #AIstrategy - Egyptian Union Party's representative at the National Dialogue, Mahmoud Nagi Abdel-Aziz, suggested allocating 10% of all public investments to technology and AI, and proposed the formation of a supreme council for technology and AI. (Ahram Online)
Morocco urged to prioritize AI by NYU professor
#Morocco #AI - NYU Courant Institute Professor Anasse Bari emphasized the importance of Morocco developing a national AI strategy and investing in education to prepare for the AI world. (Morocco World News)
Dubai Centre for AI opens
#UAE #education - The Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) is now open. The new centre aims to train over 1,000 government employees from more than 30 entities on generative AI and support 20+ advanced tech startups. (Dubai Media Office)
Generative AI
Subway launches AI-powered campaign in the Gulf
#UAE #Saudi #Kuwait #advertising- Subway has introduced an AI-generated campaign for its new double cheese SubMelts in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, leveraging the power of nostalgia and customer experiences. (Caterer Middle East)
Sharjah Media City unveils image creation platform
#UAE #generativeAI - Sharjah Media City (Shams) has launched 'Create with Shams', an AI-powered platform for designing and producing professional images. The first government platform of its kind in the region caters to government entities, companies, and the creative community. (Gulf News)
Drones
ITBA initiates mega monitoring project using 40 drones
#Saudi #environment- The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve's Development Authority has launched a project using over 40 drones for monitoring and protection of the wildlife park, supporting ecotourism and local communities. This initiative aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. (Zawya)
Dubai conducts 2 years of medical drone delivery trials
#UAE #drones- Dubai's Fakeeh University Hospital is testing drone delivery for medicines. The initiative, born from a two-year collaboration with UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Health Authority and others. Sources say this it could only be a matter of months before services are rolled out to other hospitals. (Zawya)
Space
UAE Space Agency calls for private sector involvement
#UAE #spacetech - The UAE Space Agency's ‘Space Means Business’ campaign invites private sector participation in the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. The agency plans to award at least 50% of the mission contracts to private companies. (Gulf Business)
Robotics
3D printing and robotics factory to open in Abu Dhabi
#UAE #3DPrinting - Sinaha Platform and Omega Future plan to open the UAE's first 3D printer and educational robot factory in Abu Dhabi, aiming at local, regional, and international markets. (Zawya)
UAE robotics team are global finalists in First Lego League
#UAE #Robotics - Eight students from UAE, trained by Unique World Robotics, won a Global Finalists award at the international robotics competition First Lego League in Morocco, surpassing 47 other nations. (Zawya)
200 Saudi students join World Robot Olympiad
#Saudi #Robotics - Over 200 students took part in the World Robot Olympiad final qualifiers, organized by Saudi's Wireless Sports and Remote Control Sports Federation and Robot at the King Salman Science Oasis in Riyadh. (Arab News)
Events
AI Office and NVIDIA host AI-enabled entrepreneurs conference
#UAE #NVIDIA - The UAE Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office in partnership with NVIDIA, organized the "AI-Enabled Entrepreneurs" conference, highlighting latest developments in Generative AI, Metaverses, and robotics. The event also showcased NVIDIA Inception programme. (WAM)
UAE's AI Office and Google launch AI Majlis series
#UAE #events- The UAE's AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office together with Google, introduced the AI Majlis Series. This quarterly initiative joins officials from government, academia, and private sector to discuss AI public policies. (Zawya)
Defence
Kuwait inks $367 million drone contract with Baykar
#Kuwait #UAVs- Kuwait has secured a $367 million contract with Turkish defence firm Baykar for its medium-altitude long endurance Bayraktar TB2 drones. The contract's details regarding the number and delivery timeline of drones remain undisclosed. (Reuters)
U.S. Issues Advisory on Iran's UAV Activities
#USA #Iran #UAVs - The Departments of State, Commerce, Justice, and Treasury have issued an advisory to the international community and private sector on the threat posed by Iran's development and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The advisory also details key UAV-related components Iran is seeking for its UAV program. (U.S. Department of State)
Jordan army downs drug-carrying drone from Syria
#Jordan #smuggling- The Royal Jordanian Army intercepted a drone smuggling crystal methamphetamine drugs from Syria, attributing the rising smuggling attempts to pro-Iranian militias protected by Syrian Army units. (Arab News)