黑料社区

How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in 黑料社区 and the wider region

Special How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in 黑料社区 and the wider region
Google鈥檚 largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure. (Supplied)
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Updated 08 November 2024

How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in 黑料社区 and the wider region

How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in 黑料社区 and the wider region
  • Backed by local partners, Google will boost AI upskilling for women, youth, migrants, and rural communities
  • The AI Opportunity Initiative aims to equip half a million people across the MENA region with AI skills

DUBAI: As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries, job roles and skill requirements, the Middle East and North Africa region is actively embracing advanced technologies and collaborating with tech giants to bridge the skills gap in an evolving labor market.

One such collaboration is with Google鈥檚 newly launched AI Opportunity Initiative, which offers training and education opportunities to make AI technologies more accessible and inclusive across the region.

By collaborating with local organizations, the AI Opportunity Initiative seeks to 鈥渢rain half a million people in the next two years,鈥 Anthony Nakache, managing director of Google MENA, told an audience at the recent AI Connect MENA event at Dubai鈥檚 Etihad Museum.

To achieve this, Google 鈥渨ill give a grant of $15 million to fund local organizations,鈥 Nakache said.

Najeeb Jarrar, regional director of marketing at Google MENA, told Arab News: 鈥淲e are very excited about this AI Opportunity Initiative, especially since we are seeing the Saudi community is fully embracing AI both on the consumer side and on the developer and resource side.

鈥淭his is an initiative that we have launched globally and we now are bringing to the region. One of the aims of this initiative is how we are leveling the playing field for AI and AI education and skilling across the entire region,鈥 he added, noting that students will learn to use AI more productively, including skills such as prompt engineering.

To bridge the digital divide in the labor market, Google鈥檚 AI Opportunity Initiative aims to upskill underserved workers in AI by offering tailored training materials in Arabic, in partnership with the non-profit Manarat, online course provider Coursera, and other organizations.

Google鈥檚 largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on four key areas: AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure.

DID YOUKNOW?

鈥 The new AI Opportunity Initiative is Google鈥檚 largest AI project in the region.

鈥 It aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills within two years.

鈥 Google is granting $15 million to local organizations between 2024 and 2027.

鈥 The Saudi government is reportedly creating a $40 billion fund to invest in AI.

鈥淲e also worked with local NGOs and local players in the market to ensure that we are also reaching out to different partners,鈥 Jarrar said.

Google.org, Google鈥檚 philanthropic arm, has announced plans to contribute $15 million between this year and the end of 2027, providing funding to organizations across the region to ensure accessibility to AI opportunities.

The AI Opportunity Initiative also aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills in the first two years. This includes students, academics, developers, entrepreneurs and underrepresented groups.

Speaking about the issue of accessibility, Jarrar said: 鈥淲e wanted to ensure first that this local initiative does not feel like an initiative that is hard to get for the average user.鈥




Google鈥檚 largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure. (Supplied)

He pointed out that both language and local partners, such as Injaz and Raspberry Pi Foundation, play a major role in improving accessibility.

鈥淭he content is all in Arabic, we have local examples that we are actually able to showcase,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e are partnering with local partners that know the market and the community very well and are able to reach more people that are beyond what we can initially reach to.鈥

The AI Opportunity Initiative enables Google to expand the Maharat min Google program, which targets high school and university students, by introducing a new AI curriculum in Arabic.

As part of its mission to support underserved communities, Google.org is funding Village Capital, a non-profit that supports entrepreneurs tackling environmental, social and economic challenges.

Village Capital will equip business support organizations to offer AI upskilling opportunities to underserved workers.听

The program targets women, youth, migrants and rural communities across 黑料社区, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq.听

The Raspberry Pi Foundation will use grant funding from Google.org to train teachers in AI literacy, equipping students aged 11-14 in the region with AI safety skills to better understand and navigate the challenges of AI technologies.

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Speaking at the Google AI Connect Event, Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, said: 鈥淎I is estimated to contribute $320 billion in economic growth for the Middle East by 2030.

鈥淕oogle is working to ensure that people and communities throughout the region have the skills needed to capture the upside of this emerging technology.鈥澨

She added: 鈥淥ur local non-profit and university partners will help bring this program to people and communities throughout the region, ensuring that everyone can benefit from the opportunities that AI can deliver.鈥




听Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, speaking at the Google AI Connect event. (Photo听courtesy of Google)

Since 2005, Google has invested more than $400 million in academic research globally.

The tech giant also announced during its Dubai event the launch of new Arabic AI products, including Gemini Live in Arabic, Gemini for Teens, Imagen3, and Gems on Gemini in Arabic.听

鈥淔or the previous year, we have worked hard with partners, with experts globally and from the region, to understand what are the constraints that we need to implement to make this product safer for teens, teens aged 13 to 18,鈥 Jarrar said.

鈥淲e worked tirelessly to make sure we have the right guardrails to ensure that we had the right controls and the proper Q and A and testing, and today we are happy to say that Gemini for Teens is available for users and teens here in the region.鈥

These efforts are expected to support 黑料社区鈥檚 ambition to become an AI leader, ensuring its population stays aligned with the latest developments in the labor market.

A September report by the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence showed that 75 percent of the Saudi population is familiar with the concept of AI, and 64 percent are aware of its applications.


How AI could make 黑料社区鈥檚 construction sites safer and more efficient

How AI could make 黑料社区鈥檚 construction sites safer and more efficient
Updated 11 July 2025

How AI could make 黑料社区鈥檚 construction sites safer and more efficient

How AI could make 黑料社区鈥檚 construction sites safer and more efficient
  • Construction remains one of the most dangerous and under-digitized industries, prompting a growing demand for real-time safety solutions
  • AI-driven tools are increasingly viewed not as job threats but as vital safeguards enhancing judgment, oversight, and worker protection

RIYADH: Across the global construction sector, long considered one of the most resistant to digitization, a quiet revolution is unfolding.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a mere buzzword confined to laboratories and boardrooms. It is increasingly present in the urban fabric, embedded into scaffolding, concrete and command centers.

One company at the heart of this shift is viAct, a Hong Kong-based AI firm co-founded by Gary Ng and Hugo Cheuk. Their aim is to make construction safer, smarter and significantly more productive using a scenario-based AI engine built for complex, high-risk environments.

鈥淒espite being one of the most labor-intensive and hazardous industries, construction remains vastly under-digitized,鈥 Ng told Arab News. 鈥淲e saw this as an opportunity to bring AI-driven automation and insights to frontline operations.

Unlike conventional surveillance tools that simply record footage, viAct鈥檚 platform acts like a digital foreman. It interprets real-time visual data to detect unsafe practices, productivity gaps and anomalies, all without human supervision.

At the core of the platform are intelligent video analytics powered by edge computing. By processing visuals from jobsite cameras and sensors, viAct can flag whether a worker has entered a restricted zone, whether proper personal protective equipment is being worn, or if a crane is operating unsafely.

鈥淭his is not just about object detection,鈥 said Ng. 鈥淥ur AI understands context. It recognizes behaviors 鈥 like a worker being too close to the edge without a harness or a truck reversing unsafely 鈥 and acts in real time.鈥

That ability to contextualize data is crucial in megaprojects, where risks multiply with size.

The firm鈥檚 technology has already been deployed across East Asia and parts of Europe. Now, the company is eyeing 黑料社区 and the wider Gulf region, where giga-projects are transforming skylines at record speed.

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Ng confirmed viAct is in active discussions to enter the Saudi market.

鈥満诹仙缜檚 Vision 2030 is deeply aligned with our mission,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a growing demand for AI in infrastructure 鈥 not just for safety, but also for efficiency, environmental compliance, and transparency.

From NEOM and The Line to Qiddiya and Diriyah Gate, 黑料社区 is leading one of the most ambitious construction booms in the world. These projects involve thousands of workers, advanced logistics and constant oversight.

However, traditional safety audits and manual inspections are no longer sufficient. 鈥淲ith projects of this scale, real-time monitoring is not a luxury 鈥 it鈥檚 a necessity,鈥 said Ng.

While viAct hasn鈥檛 yet launched in the Kingdom, its platform is fully prepared for Arabic localization and regional compliance standards, including Saudi labor laws and Gulf Cooperation Council safety codes.

What sets viAct apart is how seamlessly it integrates with existing infrastructure. Rather than requiring expensive proprietary equipment, the platform works with standard CCTV cameras and can be deployed in both urban and remote sites.

 

鈥淥ur system is plug-and-play,鈥 said Ng. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to overhaul your entire setup to use AI. That makes it ideal for companies in transition or for phased construction timelines.鈥

Its use of edge AI, meaning data is processed on site rather than in a distant cloud, allows viAct to deliver insights even in areas with weak internet connectivity. This feature is particularly useful in 黑料社区鈥檚 more isolated development zones or early-phase sites with minimal setup.

Its software is also highly customizable. For instance, a client building a hospital might prioritize fall detection and material delays, while a contractor working on an airport runway may need to monitor large machinery and perimeter access.

As automation reshapes industries, many worry that people are being replaced by machines. But Ng insists that viAct鈥檚 goal is not to eliminate workers 鈥 it is to protect them.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not building robots to take over,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e building tools that enhance human judgment and ensure safety. When a worker is alerted to a risk before an accident occurs, that鈥檚 AI doing its best job.鈥

In fact, many of viAct鈥檚 clients report that once site workers understand the system is not spying on them, but rather observing unsafe situations, adoption becomes smoother. Managers gain better oversight and laborers gain peace of mind.

鈥淲e see this as a collaboration between human intelligence and artificial intelligence,鈥 Ng said. 鈥淓ach has strengths. Together, they鈥檙e far more effective.鈥

Gary Ng co-founded viAct, a Hong Kong-based AI firm, with Hugo Cheuk. (Supplied)

Deploying AI in construction also brings ethical questions to the forefront, particularly in projects run by government entities or involving public infrastructure. Ng is upfront about these concerns.

鈥淎ll our solutions are GDPR-compliant and privacy-first,鈥 he said, referring to the EU鈥檚 General Data Protection Regulation, a comprehensive set of rules designed to protect the personal data of individuals.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 use facial recognition and we don鈥檛 track individuals. The focus is purely on safety, compliance and productivity.鈥

Workers are anonymized in the system, with all data encrypted and stored securely. Dashboards used by contractors and project leads include logs, alerts and safety scores, allowing for clear documentation and accountability without compromising personal privacy.

This is especially important in the Gulf, where projects often involve multinational labor forces and cross-border stakeholders

Looking ahead, viAct plans to double down on its expansion in the Middle East, continue advancing its AI models and advocate for ethical AI deployment in high-risk sectors.

The company is also exploring ways to integrate predictive analytics, allowing clients to foresee and prevent incidents before they occur. This could eventually shift AI鈥檚 role from reactive to proactive, forecasting safety breaches, delivery delays or environmental compliance issues in advance.

Ng believes this kind of intelligent foresight will soon become standard across the construction industry.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about replacing humans,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about building a smarter site, one where decisions are faster, risks are fewer, and lives are safer.鈥

In the age of giga-projects, that is a future 黑料社区 is already building.
 

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Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI
Updated 10 July 2025

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

GENEVA: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held a series of high-level meetings during his official visit to Switzerland, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom鈥檚 global role in promoting inclusivity in the era of artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital economy development.

The minister met with UN International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two discussed the Kingdom鈥檚 longstanding partnership with the union spanning more than 76 years.

The minister also met with Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki, to expand partnership opportunities in the areas of digital governance, AI, and digital infrastructure.

 


PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in 黑料社区

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in 黑料社区
Updated 10 July 2025

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in 黑料社区

PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in 黑料社区
  • The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side鈥檚 London studio

RIYADH: PIF-backed Savvy Games Group has partnered with gaming service provider Side to open a physical studio in Riyadh later this year to further support 黑料社区鈥檚 growing gaming ecosystem. 
 
The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side鈥檚 London studio. 
 
Nika Nour, head of global business development at Savvy Games Group, told Arab News: 鈥淭here is no better partner than people like Side who have actually opened offices in other regions of the world, not just in Western countries like Europe or North America. 
 
鈥淭hey have the experiences and the tools to actually increase services, to train up local talent, and enter communities and understand cultural nuances to forge partnerships, not just for the short term, but beyond 2030, and that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e very excited about this strategic initiative.鈥 
 
This is a step in expanding Side鈥檚 global footprint to 20 studios across 14 countries, providing services that range from co-development, player support, quality assurance (QA), localization QA, and audio. Their work in 黑料社区 will be a tailored approach to the country鈥檚 needs, initially by offering co-dev, localization and local audio recording services. 
 
Jacob Madsen, London studio head and VP of EMEA at Side, told Arab News: 鈥淔rom a company point of view, we鈥檙e always looking to expand into new markets. We鈥檙e always looking to try and have a diverse workforce, so that was also something that was really interesting to me. Over the four months, we鈥檝e been kind of developing a relationship between Side and Savvy.鈥 
 
Savvy prides itself on its three pillars as a holdings entity at PIF: Investments in MMA games, efforts on e-sports, as noted regionally with the Esports World Cup, and most importantly, moving forward and progressing on Saudi鈥檚 national Vision 2030 initiative of gaming ecosystem development. 
 
The studio will also aim to provide youth training programs and strengthen local institutions, including collaboration with local partners such as Full Sail University, to nurture homegrown talent in co-development, localization and QA.
 
鈥淲hat we tend to do when we open up a studio is very much work with the local population,鈥 Madsen explained. 鈥淲e try to bring in as few seniors or employees of other studios and hire the men and women of the country that we鈥檙e in. We are talking to Savvy about how we can connect to any existing university or training programs, whether we can bring down some of our experts 鈥 but we will also very much be training the people that we hire for the services that we鈥檒l be providing.鈥
 
Savvy Academy, the company鈥檚 flagship initiative, focuses on incubation, acceleration and training with university relationships. They have also been collaborating with the International Game Developers Association鈥檚 Riyadh chapter, which has a talent pool of more than 200 individuals in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh.
 
鈥淲e have great relationships with universities that we plan on imploring, working with, to bring these experts not only to the classrooms, but also figure out how we get them from graduation into professional careers,鈥 Nour said. 
 
The studio is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. 


黑料社区 to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October

黑料社区 to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October
Updated 10 July 2025

黑料社区 to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October

黑料社区 to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October
  • Aim of the event is to boost transformation of the Kingdom鈥檚 healthcare sector and enhance its position as a global hub for health innovation and investment

RIYADH: The eighth annual Global Health Exhibition will take place from Oct. 27 to 30 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

The aim of the event, the theme for which is 鈥淚nvest in Health,鈥 is to help accelerate the transformation of the Kingdom鈥檚 healthcare sector in line with the goals of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency reported, while strengthening 黑料社区鈥檚 position as a global hub for health innovation and investment.

The four-day exhibition will give health sector leaders, investors and innovators from around the world the chance to explore partnership and investment opportunities, and showcase the latest advances in healthcare technology, including developments in telemedicine, digital health and preventative care.

Organizers hope this year鈥檚 event will further boost momentum in the rapidly evolving Saudi health sector, building on the success of last year鈥檚 exhibition that attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 80 countries, who signed deals worth more than SR50 billion ($13.3 billion).

The event also reflects the Kingdom鈥檚 growing influence on the global health stage, according to organizers. Recent Saudi initiatives such as the National Biotechnology Strategy and the hosting of high-profile international gatherings 鈥 including the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in November 2024, and the upcoming 2nd annual CPHI Middle East pharmaceutical expo scheduled for December 鈥 highlight the nation鈥檚 commitment to shaping the future of healthcare, they said.

The exhibition aims to serve as a key platform for fostering collaborations and driving investment in technologies and initiatives that support healthier, more sustainable communities across the region and beyond, the organizers added.


黑料社区 to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year

黑料社区 will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country鈥檚 public school system.
黑料社区 will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country鈥檚 public school system.
Updated 10 July 2025

黑料社区 to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year

黑料社区 will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country鈥檚 public school system.
  • Students will learn to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary and high schools, and continuing through university studies

RIYADH: 黑料社区 will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country鈥檚 public school system beginning in the coming academic year.

The introduction of this nationwide AI curriculum will support the Kingdom鈥檚 Human Capability Development Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, which is designed to create a comprehensive education system that strengthens core values and boosts the nation鈥檚 global competitiveness and AI leadership.

Students will learn how to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary school and continuing through secondary education, university studies, technical training and lifelong-learning programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The curriculum unveiled by the National Curriculum Center, with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, features age-appropriate AI modules in the form of interactive and hands-on teaching. They are designed to connect between grade levels to ensure progressive development of skills and comprehensive student-evaluation systems.

It follows the announcement by the SDAIA in April, during the Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh, of an 鈥淚ntroduction to Artificial Intelligence鈥 course for third-year high school students in the general track, in collaboration with the Curriculum Center and the Education Ministry.

This introductory course will serve as the initial phase of the curriculum development and establish the groundwork for the incorporation of AI concepts throughout academic programs, the Saudi Press Agency added.