Saudi to automate 4,000 factories; Hub71's latest startup cohort
Good morning!
Here’s your weekly roundup of Middle East AI News!
Lots of news to share today, including stories coming out the Saudi Green Initiative Forum and Future Investment Initiative Summit. Also, Abu Dhabi's Hub71 has just announced it's new intake of startups.
Stay safe and have a great weekend!
/Carrington
Startup News
Deepbrain AI wins GITEX Future Stars Supernova Challenge 2021 — techxmedia.com
#UAE #GITEXGLOBAL2021 - Deepbrain AI, a Korean startup that uses conversational artificial intelligence technology to deliver empathising and conversing Ai Human services, has been named the winner of the 2021 GITEX GLOBAL Future Stars’ Supernova Challenge, taking home the top prize of $55,000. (TechX Media)
Hub71 accepts latest cohort of startups — www.zawya.com
#UAE #Hub71 - Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has selected its new cohort of 14 startups to join its community in the UAE capital. The startups include Predictiv Care (Digital Twins for personal healthcare), BitGrit (a tokenized AI marketplace platform), and UVL Robotics (robotics and automation for the logistics industry). (Zawya)
AI Strategy
Saudi energy ministry building AI team with multi-billion riyal budget -official — www.reuters.com
#Saudi #AIstrategy - Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy is building an AI team with a multi-billion riyal budget, according to comments made by Yehia "Yaya" Khoja, an adviser at the ministry, at the Youth Green Summit in Riyadh. (Reuters)
Saudi Green Initiative
How AI and Robotics will help deliver The Saudi Green Initiative — www.arabnews.com
#Saudi #SaudiGreenInitiative - AI can play a crucial role via smart, efficient irrigation systems that utilise sensors and data analytics to monitor climate conditions and soil moisture, according to Dr. Nahid Sidki, chief technology officer of PIF-owned Research Products Development Company (RPDC). (Arab News)
Smart Cities
Saudi’s NEOM will have a digital twin in the ‘metaverse’: FII — english.alarabiya.net
#Saudi #digitaltwins - NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s multi-billion-dollar futuristic city, will have a digital twin in the metaverse, allowing people to live, work and play in the megacity before it is even built, delegates attending the Future Investment Initiative (FII) were told yesterday. (Al Arabiya)
Alibaba and RTA team up to monitor Dubai public transport — www.thenationalnews.com
#UAE #transport - Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a new partnership with Alibaba to monitor passenger movements and improve public transport systems. The RTA intends to collect new types of passenger data beginning with bus users and then be extended to include taxis and "last-mile" mobility solutions such as e-scooters and bikes. (The National)
Data Centres
STC Solutions signs $53.66m NEOM data centre contracts — www.arabnews.com
#Saudi #datacentres - Solutions by stc has signed SR 201.3 million ($53.66m) worth of contracts with stc (Saudi Telecom Company) to build a data centre in NEOM, the huge smart city being built in Saudi Arabia's northwestern Tabuk Province. (Arab News)
Industry 4.0
Saudi Arabia aims for 4,000 factories to be automated within 5 years — www.arabnews.com
#Saudi #smartfactories - The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources plans to convert 4,000 factories from heavy reliance on expatriate workers to digital automation within 5 years. The automation plans are in line with the Kingdom's strategy to adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution practices and technologies in its industrial sector. (Arab News)
Ajman Free Zone launches 'AI and Robotic Hub' — www.zawya.com
#UAE #freezones - Ajman Free Zone has launched an Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Hub. The zone expects the hub to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large companies, academic institutions, and government entities. (Zawya)
R&D
How Abu Dhabi-made algorithms are set to transform health care — wired.me
#UAE #healthcare - Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is working on algorithms that can intelligently process data from myriad sensors, in a way that considers the broader health of a patient — or, indeed, anyone — when they are at home. (WIRED Middle East)
Education
American University in Dubai, Huawei to establish tech academy — gulfnews.com
#UAE #training - The American University in Dubai (AUD) recently signed a cooperation agreement with Huawei to establish an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) academy on the AUD campus. (Gulf News)
Art
Egypt detains artist robot Ai-Da before historic pyramid show — www.theguardian.com
#Egypt #art - Egyptian airport security detained Ai-Da - the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist - for 10 days, because of concerns that it was part of a espionage plot, being released only yesterday. The robot was due to open and present its work at the Great Pyramid of Giza. (The Guardian)
Defence
Pentagon favors U.S. sale of more than $500 million worth of armed drones to Qatar, but State Department is wary — www.nbcnews.com
#Qatar #drones - The US Defense Department is encouraging the sale of more than $500 million worth of military drones to Qatar. Qatar first asked the U.S. for armed MQ-9 Reaper drones last year, manufactured by US defence contractor General Atomics, but the request has languished. (NBC News)
AI Diplomacy
UAE’s AI economy opens opportunities for further collaboration with US: State Dept. official — wam.ae
#UAE #US #economy - The UAE moving towards an Artificial Intelligence economy gives more opportunities for the US to strengthen the existing bilateral relations, according to Thomas Debass, Managing Director of the Office of Global Partnership at the US Department of State. (Emirates News Agency)
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