Saudi to open WEF 4IR centre; Winnow helps tackle UAE food waste

From the archive...

Good morning,

Welcome to the second edition of Middle East AI News!

Among other stories announced this week, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) will soon open a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and supported by the Saudi Center for International Strategic Partnerships (SCISP).

WEF's C4IR network is headquartered in San Francisco and already has hubs in India, China and Japan. The network brings together public and private sectors from around the world to help address challenges and opportunities related to emerging tech, including policy and regulation.

In news from the UAE cabinet, HE Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills, has been made Acting Minister of AI whist HE Omar Sultan Al Olama completes his 16 months National Service basic training.

Lots more news below.

Have a great weekend!

/Carrington

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Startup News

FifthEdge launches AI-driven recruitment platform

#UAE #recruitment - Dubai-based startup FifthEdge has launched an AI-driven recruitment platform aimed at the region's construction and engineering sectors. The company aims to re-engineer the recruitment process increasing the recruitment capacity of hiring companies by up to 467 percent and reducing cost-to-hire by 52 percent. (Zawya)

Coronavirus

Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 offers free AI services to coronavirus researchers

#UAE #coronavirus - Group 42, an Abu Dhabi-based AI and cloud computing company, announced that it is offering “high-throughput computational and AI services” free of charge to scientific researchers who are working to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus. (The National)

Transport

Traffic solutions provider Nayan eyes expansion across Middle East and South East Asia

#UAE #transport - Delhi-based startup Nayan Technologies, which provides vital technology to Dubai police to monitor roads and detect traffic violations, aims to build on its successes and expand across the Middle East and South East Asia as it caters to high demand for road safety. (The National)

Dubai’s RTA launches chatbot to deliver smart Salik services

#UAE #chatbots - Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a Salik Virtual Assistant to deliver Salik services via conversations AI. (Gulf News)

Hospitality

UAE’s Food Waste Pledge and Winnow tackle $4 billion problem

#UAE #foodwaste - The UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) Food Waste Pledge calls on the hospitality sector to adopt waste-saving and efficient food production practices and employs artificial intelligence systems from UK-based Winnow. (FoodTank)

AI Policy

Saudi to open first WEF Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre in the Middle East

#Saudi #4IR - Saudi will soon open its branch of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR). Part of a network of technology-governance hubs and affiliate centers, the C3IR is one of the outcome sof an agreement reached late last year between the Kingdom and the World Economic Forum. (Arab News)

Innovation & Education

Registration opens for Khalid bin Hamad Innovation & AI competition

#Bahrain #innovation - Registration is open for the third edition of the Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Competition. The competition takes place at Bahrain Polytechnic in partnership with the Information and eGovernment Authority, Microsoft and Al Moayyed Computers Middle East. The final date for registration is 28 February. (News of Bahrain)

DFM actively participates in the "UAE Innovation Month 2020"

#UAE #innovation - The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) is organising a series of events themes as 'Artificial Intelligence; Future of Everything', during UAE Innovation Month 2020. Six events will focusing on instilling key concepts of innovation, design and AI with participation from senior DRM experts and leading brokerage firms. (Zawya)

Kuwait launches Robotics, AI Festival

#Kuwait #robotics - Kuwait launched the Robotics and AI Festival on Sunday, to promote the scientific awareness in Kuwait. The festival aims to support scientific culture in smart industries and aiding the youth develop their skills. (Xinhua)

​DEWA organises training sessions on quantum computing in partnership with D-Wave

#UAE #quantum - Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has organised intensive training sessions on quantum computing in partnership with D-Wave Systems to support its strategy to employ the latest disruptive technologies. DEWA is also the first public utility in the world to form a strategic partnership with Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab. (Quantaneo)

Sports

FIFA’s plans to improve VAR offside calls with AI

#Qatar #sport - FIFA has begun the early stages of testing for a new semi-automated offside system that combines AI with limb tracking technology. FIFA used the Club World Cup to run their first offline tests of Virtual Assistant Referees in Qatar, kept totally separate from the officials on the pitch. (Forbes)

Market growth

Digital transformation to fuel government ICT spending growth, says IDC

#MEA #government - International Data Corporation (IDC) expects government ICT spending in the Middle East and Africa to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%, crossing the $15 billion mark by 2023, while AI spending is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 22.2% (Zawya)

Saudi IoT in manufacturing market is expected to grow at 27% until 2025

#Saudi #IoT - Saudi Arabia's IoT in Manufacturing Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27% until 2025, according to Research & Markets, owing to the rising demand for data that can optimise overall production systems and processes. (BusinessWire)

Events calendar

20 Feb - AI Lab Government Networking event - by ADDA - #Abu Dhabi

11-12 Mar - AI Everything Summit - #Dubai

30-31 Mar - Global AI Summit - #Riyadh