Saudi R&D could add $16b to GDP; Abu Dhabi puts $2.7b behind Industry 4.0
Saudi R&D could add $16b to GDP; Abu Dhabi puts $2.7b behind Industry 4.0
Middle East AI News weekly news digest...
Good morning!
Here’s your roundup of this week’s AI and emerging tech stories!
Some significant government announcements to share from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Both countries are pursuing a relentless drive to digitally transform government and key industrial sectors.
Last week Saudi Arabia outlined a new research, development and innovation (RDI) initiative to fund big changes in the sector, setting a goal to raise the 'RDI' contribution to GDP to SAR 60 billion riyals, or $16 billion.
Meanwhile in the UAE, Abu Dhabi announced plans to invest AED 10 billion ($2.72b) to double size of the emirate's manufacturing sector by 2031. There are already several key initiatives at a government level to drive digitization in the manufacturing sector. In related news, the UAE Circular Economy Council has approved 22 new policies to drive transition in manufacturing, food, infrastructure, and transport.
Scroll down to discover more stories, including Wamda's roundup of June 2022 startup venture funding.
Stay safe and best wishes for the Eid Al Adha holiday!
/Carrington
R&D
Saudi Arabia outlines new plan for research, development and innovation
#Saudi #R&D - Last week Saudi Arabia announced The National Aspirations and Priorities for RDI (research, development and innovation) initiative, which aims to add SAR 60 billion riyals ($16bn) to the kingdom's gross domestic product by 2040. The initiative will serve as the cornerstone for the development of a national strategy for RDI, (The National)
Funding
Startups in Mena raised $324 million in June 2022, propelling H1 to $1.7 billion
#MENA #funding - Startups in the Middle East and North Africa region (Mena) raised $323.7 million across 66 deals in June 2022, an 84 per cent increase in value month-on-month. AI focused ventures accounted for 1% of the June total. (Wamda)
Industry 4.0
Abu Dhabi to invest $2.72bn to double size of manufacturing sector by 2031
#UAE #Industry4 - Abu Dhabi will invest AED 10 billion ($2.72bn) across six industrial programmes including Industry 4.0 and 'circular economy' under the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy to double the size of the ’s manufacturing sector to AED 172 billion ($47b) by 2031. (The National)
UAE Circular Economy Council approves 22 policies to expedite transition
#UAE #CircularEconomy - The UAE Circular Economy Council has approved 22 new policies that focus on the implementation of the circular economy model in four main sectors – manufacturing, food, infrastructure, and transport. (Emirates News Agency)
Abu Dhabi taps GE Digital to accelerate digital transformation for manufacturing
#UAE #Industry4 - The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GE Digital to accelerate the digital transformation of the emirate’s manufacturing sector by leveraging innovative solutions. (Arabian Business)
Opinion: Smart manufacturing will transform Abu Dhabi’s industry
#UAE #Industry4 - Abu Dhabi's adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies will transform the emirate’s industrial sector, increasing its economic contribution, according to Abu Dhabi Executive Council member Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi. (The National)
Energy
AIQ and MBZUAI to advance AI innovations in UAE’s energy sector
#UAE #research - AIQ, ADNOC's joint venture with G42 (Group 42), and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (part of G42) will conduct a joint research into AI related technologies with an emphasis on solutions for the energy sector and consider setting up a joint R&D centre. (ITP)
Education
Fourth UAE AI Summer Camp opens for registrations
#UAE #AISummerCamp - Registration for the fourth UAE AI Summer Camp is now open, until the beginning of August. The AI Camp 4.0 is organised by the UAE's AI office and the National Programme of AI, in cooperation with national entities and global tech companies. (Emirates News Agency)
Leams to introduce robotics, IR4.0 course in UAE schools
#UAE #education - Leams Education, an education management company operating schools in UAE, has launched an initiative introducing coding and robotics in classroom and laboratories, to make students future-ready. (Zawya)
Robotics
Egypt finishes first in 2022 Arab Open Robotics Championship
#Egypt #robotics - Egypt has finished in first place at the 2022 Arab Open Robotics Championship held in Sharm El Sheikh on Monday. (Arab News)
Saudi Arabia deploys 11 smart robots to sterilise grand mosque
#Saudi #servicerobots - Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has provided 11 smart robots for disinfecting the inside of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. (Gulf News)
Centre of Excellence
Hub71 and e& enterprise to launch UAE’s first AI Center of Excellence
#UAE #AI - Hub71 and e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), have launched the region’s first AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE) in Abu Dhabi. The centre will enable companies and startups to develop, deploy and scale applications implementing enterprise AI use cases. (Gulf Business)
Smart Cities
Oman sets Q3 bid submission deadline for smart cities project
#UAE #tenders - Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has set 16 August 2022 as the bid submission deadline for its design and engineering tender for smart city projects in Sohar, Nizwa and Salalah. (Zawya)
Dubai developer to design zero-carbon smart city in Saudi’s capital
#Saudi #smartcities - Dubai developer URB is designing a zero carbon “future city” in the Saudi Arabian capital. Called Alnama, the new city will create 10,000 green jobs, house 44,000 residents and use 100% renewable energy and water recycling. (Arabian Business)
Drones
Spain seizes underwater drones built to carry drugs from Morocco
#Morocco #Spain #UUV - Spanish police have seized three “drone submarines” capable of transporting large quantities of drugs from Morocco to Spain. (The National)
AI Diplomacy
Jordan, Japan sign agreement to build Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem in Jordan
#Jordan #Japan - Jordan and Japan Monday signed an agreement to build and develop an AI ecosystem in the Kingdom. The two parties agreed on a general framework of the project and the structure of the initial implementation. (PETRA)
Defence
Lebanese PM blasts Hezbollah over drone provocation
#Israel #Lebanon #drones - Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati has criticised the militant group Hezbollah for sending three unmanned aircraft over an Israeli gas installation last week, saying it was an unnecessarily risky action. (Gulf News)
First published via Revue.