MBZUAI and the Manara Center for Coexistence and Dialogue hosted a panel discussion at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi on the role of faith in the age of AI. The panel featured scholars, religious leaders, and AI experts including MBZUAI President Eric Xing. Panelists discussed the differences between human consciousness/spirituality and AI capabilities, emphasizing the human capacity for higher consciousness, empathy, and collective understanding. Why it matters: The event highlights the UAE's focus on ethical AI development that considers the intersection of technology, spirituality, and human values.
KAUST has launched the KAUST Challenge: Ideas and Solutions for Hajj & Umrah 2020, in partnership with The Makkah Cultural Forum. The challenge aims to catalyze research, innovation, and economic development in Saudi Arabia. The KAUST Challenge will award 1 million SAR in cash and other prizes for ideas to improve the Hajj and Umrah experience and advance efforts to make Makkah a smart city. Why it matters: This initiative connects AI innovation directly to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the specific needs of religious tourism, a unique application area.
Researchers developed a semantic search tool for the Quran using Arabic NLP techniques. The tool was trained on a dataset of over 30 tafsirs (interpretations) of the Quran. Using the SNxLM model and cosine similarity, the tool identifies Quranic verses most relevant to a user's query, achieving a similarity score of up to 0.97. Why it matters: This tool could significantly improve access to the Quran's teachings for Arabic speakers and researchers, providing a valuable resource for religious study and understanding.
A proposed recognition system aims to identify missing persons, deceased individuals, and lost objects during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia. The system intends to leverage facial recognition and object identification to manage the large crowds expected in the coming decade, estimated to reach 20 million pilgrims. It will be integrated into the CrowdSensing system for crowd estimation, management, and safety.
A joint delegation of KAUST and Dow officials participated in a "topping out" ceremony at the Middle East Innovation Center on the KAUST campus. The ceremony marks a milestone in the construction of the center's superstructure. Why it matters: The Innovation Center signifies continued investment in research and development infrastructure at KAUST.
KAUST highlights postdoctoral fellows Yi Jin Liew, Isabelle Schulz, Maren Ziegler and Neus Garcias Bonet outside the University Library. The article mentions King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1924 – 2015). It encourages applications to KAUST's Discovery Postdoctoral program. Why it matters: This brief announcement signals KAUST's ongoing investment in attracting international research talent to Saudi Arabia.
KAUST and Gulf Data Hub, along with Data Hub Tech and Ashi Bushnag Co., held a groundbreaking ceremony on September 18 to celebrate the development of a new data center on the KAUST campus. The data center will be built by Gulf Data Hub in partnership with the Saudi company Data Hub Tech and Jeddah-based design and contracting firm Ashi Bushnag Co. KAUST Interim President Nadhmi Al-Nasr and Gulf Data Hub CEO Tarek Al-Ashram exchanged gifts during the ceremony. Why it matters: This data center project signifies growing investment in Saudi Arabia's technological infrastructure and KAUST's role as a hub for innovation.
KAUST and the University of Connecticut (UConn) have signed an agreement to collaborate on scientific research in AI, sustainability, clean energy, and health technologies. The collaboration aims to bridge research with real-world applications, driving technology commercialization and societal benefits, including joint programs for staff and student exchange. UConn's location provides access to the Boston-NYC tech corridor, complementing KAUST's focus on Vision 2030 goals via its National Transformation Institute. Why it matters: This partnership strengthens KAUST's role as a global connector and supports Saudi Arabia's economic diversification goals by fostering innovation and commercialization in key technology sectors.