The 2018 Innovation to Impact Forum was held at MIT to foster collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Organized by a joint committee including KACST, KAUST, SMEA, and MIT, the forum featured roundtables aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated collaborations between U.S. and Saudi organizations at the event. Why it matters: The forum signifies Saudi Arabia's commitment to building international partnerships in research and innovation, particularly with leading U.S. institutions, to achieve Vision 2030 goals.
KAUST will host its inaugural Future Forum in Riyadh on February 12-13, 2024, showcasing 15 years of KAUST's research and innovation. The forum aims to unite government, industry, investors, and academia, featuring panel discussions and an interactive exhibition with 47 speakers. The event will highlight KAUST's alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) agenda, which seeks to increase RDI investment to 2.5% of GDP. Why it matters: This forum signals KAUST's strategic pivot towards directly supporting Saudi Arabia's national development goals, potentially influencing the direction of AI research and funding in the Kingdom.
This article reports on Day 2 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. It summarizes key discussions and events without specific details on AI or the Middle East. Given the lack of specific AI or Middle East content, a detailed summary is not applicable. Why it matters: WEF Davos is an important venue for global leaders to discuss technology policy, but this particular update lacks details on AI or MENA.
In a 2018 KAUST lecture, MIT professor Kamal Youcef-Toumi discussed the case of Ordos Kangbashi, a Chinese city designed for a million residents that became a near-ghost town. Despite government incentives, the city struggled due to an economic downturn and lack of social and economic balance. Youcef-Toumi emphasized the importance of the public realm and a balance between social and economic development for successful cities. Why it matters: The analysis provides insights relevant to urban planning in Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC region, where new cities and megaprojects are being developed.
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi hosted the 48th meeting of the Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) from November 7-9. The forum convened global experts to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities in 5G deployment and beyond, with a focus on AI's role in wireless and telecommunications innovations. TII's participation as host underscores its commitment to advancing the wireless communications sector. Why it matters: This event strengthens the UAE's position as a hub for telecommunications research and provides a platform for shaping the future of wireless technology in the region and globally.
Dr. Abdelrahman AlMahmoud from TII's Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) will participate in a WGISTA webinar on adopting a digital mindset in auditing and fighting corruption. The webinar, organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), will discuss the impact of emerging technologies on public sector auditing. Dr. AlMahmoud will share insights on how AI and Big Data can enable auditors to process data at a new scale. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's growing role in applying advanced technologies like AI and big data to improve governance and accountability in the public sector.
Communications Physics journal has a focus collection on space quantum communications. The collection covers supporting technologies, new quantum protocols, inter-satellite QKD, constellations of satellites, and quantum inspired technologies and protocols for space based communication. Contributions are welcome from October 20, 2020 to April 30, 2021, and accepted papers are published on a rolling basis. Why it matters: Space-based quantum communication is a critical area for developing secure, global quantum networks, and this collection could highlight relevant research for the GCC region as it invests in advanced technologies.