Saudi industrial sector steps closer to Industry 4.0; UAE AI summer camp welcomes 7,750

Middle East AI News weekly news digest...

Good morning!

Here’s your weekly roundup of Middle East AI News!

There doesn't seem to be an AI mega-story coming out of the region this week, if you scroll down this week's news, there's certainly a lot going on nonetheless!

First off, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) is making progress in its goal to accelerate adoption of Indusry 4.0 in the industrial sector under the National Productivy Program. The authority announced that it has now identified 58 factories using the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) for its program.

Momentum also builds in the UAE industrial sector, as the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) takes its Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, or GMIS, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The UAE's momentum in its massive AI education effort also impresses, with 7,750 people participating in the national AI summer camp. Meanwhile, another 60 UAE government and public sector leaders graduated from the Artificial intelligence program, organised by the government in collaboration Kellogg College, University of Oxford.

And, no surprise, virtual asset regulation is in the news again.

Scroll down to check out these and more stories below!

Have a great day!

/Carrington

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Industry 4.0

MODON completes SIRI evaluation of 58 factories for 4IR readiness

#Saudi #Industry4 - The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) has identified 58 factories for its National Productivity Program- which helps transform industrial plants to Industry 4.0 - using the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI). (Arab News)

UAE and UNIDO launch first edition of GMIS America in Pittsburgh

#UAE #USA #Industry4.0 - The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), a joint initiative between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), will host its inaugural edition of the GMIS America in Pittsburgh from 28-30 September 2022. (Zawya)

R&D

HBKU research explores AI use in detecting fraudulent text messages

#Qatar #privacy - Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s College of Science and Engineering (CSE) recently conducted a research project on detecting fraudulent text messages with strong privacy protection. The project funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) was conducted in collaboration with Ooredoo. (WU Doha)

Autonomous Vehicles

Rua Al Madinah project roads to include dedicated driverless vehicle lanes

#Saudi #urbanmobility - The 1.5 million sqm Rua Al Madinah, which will be located to the east of the Prophet's Mosque in the city of Medina will be one of the first urban developments in Saudi Arabia to feature special road lanes for driverless vehicles. (Arab News)

Education

UAE Government celebrates 60 experts in the AI Program’s Fourth Cohort

#UAE #executivetraining - The UAE government celebrated 60 graduates from the fourth cohort of the Artificial intelligence program, organised by the UAE Minister of State for Artificial intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Kellogg College in the University of Oxford. (Zawya)

UAE AI camp fourth edition developed more than 7750 students and experts

#UAE #education - More than 7,750 people participated in the UAE AI Camp. The camp included workshops organized in partnership with local and international partners across 77 different topic areas. (Zawya)

Egyptian-Chinese University to establish 5 new faculties, including AI

#Egypt #education - The Egyptian-Chinese University is establishing five new faculties, including one dedicated to AI, according to the university president. (Egypt Today)

Healthcare

Egypt's Qasr El-Aini Hospital begins performing robotic surgeries

#Egypt #roboticsurgery - Cairo's Qasr El-Aini Hospital – a public hospital affiliated with Cairo University – has started using a robot to perform advanced surgeries for patients with renal failure disease. (Ahram Online)

Jaber Hospital has carried out over 100 robot-assisted surgeries

#Kuwait #roboticsurgery - The surgical team of Jaber Hospital has conducted more than 100 procedures with the use of surgical robots. The hospital is the only general surgery department with a robot in Kuwait. (Kuwait Times)

Robotics

Bahrain opens registration for World Robot Olympiad Training Session

#Bahrain #WRO - Applications are now open for training courses for public and private school students participating in the World Robot Olympiad, which organises tournaments in over 85 countries worldwide. (Gulf Insider)

World’s first intelligent painting robot awarded

#Singapore #UAE #construction - A mobile intelligent painting robot developed by MYRO International was awarded as ‘2022 Best Product in Construction Innovation’ by the Abrahamic Business Circle’s Investors Roundtable. MYRO is part of Dubai-based investment group Mojay Global Holding Limited. (Zawya)

National AI competition concludes

#Jordan #competitions - The second National Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Competition concluded on Saturday, an event with 30 teams event organised by Zaha Cultural Center and Zoe Smart Systems Company. (Jordan News)

Virtual Assets

Abu Dhabi set to unveil blockchain and virtual assets strategy

#UAE #regulation - The recently established Abu Dhabi Blockchain and Virtual Assets Committee (ADBVAC) will soon launch a blockchain and virtual assets strategy that will align with the emirate's overall economic strategy. (Zawya)

VARA issues regulations governing virtual assets marketing

#UAE #regulation - Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), has launched operations for its customised licensing regime this month. VARA last week announced regulatory guidelines on marketing, advertising and promotions of VA across Dubai. (Khaleej Times)

Qatar Financial Centre bans crypto trading, confirms its regulator

#Qatar #crypto - The Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) has confirmed to The Block that it has banned cryptocurrency trading within the business centre. (The Block)

Digital Policy

MTCIT pushes for fair access to digital services for disabled

#Oman #policy - The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) has notified units of the state’s administrative apparatus and government and private companies to provide easy access to services and information available on ICT platforms to persons with disabilities and the elderly, and to remove barriers that prevent this. (Muscat Daily)

Defence

U.S. Navy 5th Fleet foils Iranian attempt to capture Saildrone USV

#Bahrain #Iran #USVs - The U.S. Navy prevented a support ship from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) from capturing a Saildrone unmanned surface vessel operated by the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Arabian Gulf. (Naval News)

Iran sends first shipment of drones to Russia for use in Ukraine

#Iran #Russia #UAVs - Russian cargo planes have quietly picked up the first of scores of Iranian-made combat drones for use against Ukraine, U.S. officials said, The delivery of the Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series drones to Moscow is a first installment of a planned transfer of hundreds of Iranian UAVs. (Washington Post)

First published via Revue.