Key Points
- AI emerged as a core pillar of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation
- Strong collaboration highlighted between government and AI startups
- Education and technical academies positioned as drivers of AI talent
- Media leveraging AI to expand global reach of Saudi stories
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence dominated discussions on the second day of the Absher Conference in Riyadh, underscoring its expanding role in government services, talent development, and media as the Kingdom advances its digital transformation agenda.
Following the announcement of the successful Tuwaiq Hackathon on the opening day, discussions on the second day focused on the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding AI ecosystem. Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference brought together government officials, technology startups, training academies, and media leaders to explore how AI is reshaping public services and society.
One of the key sessions, titled “Investing in Govtech: Empowering AI Startups to Redefine Government Services,” highlighted collaboration between government entities and emerging AI companies. Speakers emphasized the importance of infrastructure readiness, investment, and local talent in driving innovation, according to Arab News.
Mohamed El-Abbouri, CEO of Saudi technology company Signit, said the Kingdom’s digital maturity provides a strong foundation for transformation. He noted that Saudi Arabia ranks among the world’s leading countries in government technology, supported by advanced infrastructure and a digitally engaged population.
Education and skills development were also spotlighted as critical enablers of AI growth. During the panel “Technical Academies: Engines of Transformation,” Renad Alkhathiri, general manager of AI at Metaverse Tuwaiq Academy, explained how training programs focus on mentorship, access to cutting-edge technologies, and hands-on learning, with students spending the majority of their time on practical application.
The role of media in amplifying the Kingdom’s technological progress was explored in a session on AI and journalism. Avneesh Prakash, CEO of Camb.AI, joined Arab News Deputy Editor-in-Chief Noor Nugali to discuss how AI-powered localization and translation tools are expanding global access to Saudi stories.
Prakash said AI enables media organizations to deliver content with greater speed and scale while preserving the emotion and nuance of human storytelling. He highlighted Camb.AI’s partnership with Arab News, which allows content to be accessed in more than 50 languages.
Organizers said the second day of the Absher Conference demonstrated how AI is connecting government, education and media, positioning the technology as a unifying force in the Kingdom’s ongoing digital and societal transformation.
