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Arab News
10-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Malham Airport approved to join Saudi Arabia's expanding aviation network
RIYADH: Malham Airport is set to begin serving the Saudi public after the General Authority of Civil Aviation approved the site to be added to the Kingdom's air transport network. The facility has been designated a specialized general aviation airport, a move that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to transform the Kingdom into a global nexus for business and tourism. Situated approximately 70 km north of downtown Riyadh and spanning 1.44 million sq. meters, the facility is built to accommodate over 25,000 flights per year. The airport will serve as a comprehensive hub, offering integrated services aimed at attracting investors, nurturing local talent, and reinforcing the Kingdom's position in the global aviation industry. Located in a rapidly developing region, the facility benefits from proximity to major international events such as the World Defense Exhibition and the LEAP Tech Conference. This development is part of a broader strategy to diversify the Kingdom's economy, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and strengthen its logistics and connectivity framework. The announcement comes amid a period of unprecedented growth for Saudi Arabia's aviation industry. In 2024, the sector achieved record-breaking milestones, including a surge in passenger traffic, the expansion of airline fleets, and the launch of Riyadh Air— the Kingdom's newest flagship carrier, which recently secured its Air Operator Certificate. Backed by the Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air aims to connect over 100 international destinations by 2030, contributing an estimated $20 billion to the national economy. Saudi Arabia's aviation strategy is a cornerstone of Vision 2030, with targets to serve 330 million passengers across 250 destinations and transport 4.5 million tonnes of air cargo annually by the end of the decade. Speaking in February, GACA's President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej stressed the importance of continuing to develop local aviation expertise, noting that GACA's human capital development strategy estimates that the Kingdom's aviation sector will require 274,000 direct jobs by 2030 — up from the current 104,000 jobs. Al-Duailej reaffirmed the commitment to building a strong and sustainable aviation industry, ensuring the Kingdom remains at the forefront of global aviation development. Saudi Arabia is also investing billions in infrastructure in the aviation sector, including the development of King Salman International Airport.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Ericsson, Mobily MoU to explore intent-driven autonomous network through AI, official says
RIYADH: Saudi telecommunication firm Mobily and Swedish company Ericsson have signed an agreement to explore an intent-driven autonomous network that enhances speed, scalability, and capacity, an official said. Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the LEAP Tech Conference in Riyadh, Patrick Johansson, senior vice president and head of Market Area in Middle East and Africa at Ericsson, said that the memorandum of understanding will also explore the possibilities of bringing artificial intelligence into the telecommunications industry, which could elevate the performance of network providers. The agreement comes amid the continued expansion of the Kingdom's growing telecom and information and communication technology infrastructure sector, reaching a value of $3.5 billion in 2023. According to analysis firm Research and Markets, the sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 percent through 2029, driven by initiatives under the Kingdom's Vision 2030. 'We signed an MoU with Mobily for an intent-driven network, which is very exciting because this is really bringing AI into our industry and how we make network performance even better. And as we go along through the days, we will continue to sign new agreements with direct customers and other partners as well,' Johansson told Arab News. He added: 'This intent-driven network is very much about using the information that you have in the network to enhance performance even further, and then using AI to make sure that this is an automated functionality within the network. Basically, you can say things that you used to do by hand or by individuals are now done automatically in the system.' The MoU also aims to drive operational efficiency enhancements, boost service quality, and elevate user experiences among customers in Saudi Arabia. In a separate press statement, Hakan Cervell, vice president and head of Ericsson in the Kingdom, said that an autonomous network can change requirements dynamically without human involvement. 'As we move toward intelligent society and industry, artificial intelligence will be integrated into almost everything — learning, adapting, and intelligently automating. We are glad to sign the MoU with Mobily to explore the potential of autonomy on their network to achieve unparalleled efficiency in service delivery and operations,' said Cervell. Regarding Ericsson's presence in Saudi Arabia, the official said that the Kingdom is a fantastic market and that the company has been operating in the nation since 1978. He also added that the company is working with telecommunications firms like stc, Mobily, and Zain KSA to enhance customer experience. It is also collaborating with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to explore the possibilities of a 6G rollout in the Kingdom in the coming years. 'We have a very long experience and collaboration within the Kingdom. We have been here through 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. And now, we're looking to the future, getting into 5G standalone, 5G advanced and bringing new services,' said Johansson. He added: 'This is the place where we have the biggest amount of spectrum available, which means that we can provide superior service together with our customers stc, Mobily, and Zain in the market. Now, we're embarking into new opportunities as well with 6G, not around the corner, but in a couple of years. We're working with KAUST to have research on that topic.' During the interview, Johansson said that the establishment of Ericsson's regional headquarters in Riyadh is helping the company serve its customers in the broader Middle East and North Africa region. The communication technology firm announced in January that the Kingdom will be served under a newly established Customer Unit. This move was part of Ericsson's strategic ambition to simplify its organizational setup, enhance customer responsiveness, and strengthen local market accountability. Regarding the localization of jobs, Johansson said that 60 percent of the employees in the company are Saudi nationals. He added that Ericsson has also been engaged in providing graduate programs for Saudi nationals over the past few years, out of which more than 50 percent of the students enrolled are females. Talking about the rollout of 6G, Johansson said that it is an 'evolution rather than a revolution' happening in the telecommunications sector. 'We've had a number of revolutions; going from fixed to mobile, but now 6G will build on 5G. So it is creating greater speeds, even lower latency, and maybe, one of the more important from a consumer point of view, it is about energy efficiency that is good for sustainability, but it's also for battery life,' said Johansson. He added: 'So it is basically about enhancing everything that we had in 5G and making it better. There are a few use cases that are being discussed. And again, this is why the collaboration between companies and academia is so important.' Affirming Ericsson's commitment toward sustainability, Johansson said that it is crucial to properly eliminate electronic waste. 'It is about providing the latest and greatest of technology, but we need to be kind to Mother Nature as well. With one of our partners in the Kingdom, Mobily, we have already brought back more than 400 metric tonnes of equipment and made sure that it's disposed of. So, it is creating this overall circular economy and how we work together,' he added. According to the Ericsson official, the use of AI is poised to revolutionize the telecommunications sector by enabling faster processing of large amounts of data. 'AI is really bringing further efficiency into our market. We have a lot of data. We used to do tweaking by hand. We added further software functionality. But with AI, we can combine so much more data, making it intent-based. We talked about the Mobily case of how we can actually make this much faster using AI technology,' said Johansson.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
685 technology experts, talents granted Saudi residency
RIYADH: About 685 individuals with exceptional talents and researchers in the technology sector have been granted distinctive residency in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said on Tuesday. Those individuals obtained their residencies under the 'distinctive residence visas' program, the ministry announced during the day of the LEAP Tech Conference. Specialists in 5G technology topped the list with 16 percent, followed by cloud computing specialists with 15 percent. These fields are the cornerstone of enhancing digital infrastructure, which enhances the Kingdom's position as a leading country in adopting modern technologies, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The distinctive residency was also granted to experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning, who constituted 12 percent. The SPA report said these fields are a priority in the Kingdom due to their role in contributing to the development of many sectors such as healthcare, education and digital industries. Also, experts in Big Data sets comprised 13 percent of those who received the distinctive residency. Not only that, but the program also attracted professionals in Internet of Things technologies, financial technology, and advanced computing, which are areas that are considered a priority in supporting the growth of the Kingdom's digital economy. These experts come from various countries around the world including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Brazil, India, Pakistan and Egypt. The Kingdom's distinctive residence visas allow skilled professionals in the health and scientific competencies to apply for residency up to five years depending on their monthly income. Among the advantages, applicants get to reside in the Kingdom with the family, conduct business and own real estate properties, as well as engage in cooperation with government agencies.
Leaders
05-02-2025
- Business
- Leaders
DeepFest: A Platform Gathering AI Leaders at LEAP 2025
Saudi Arabia will host the fourth edition of LEAP Tech Conference (LEAP 2025) from February 9-12, 2025 in Riyadh, bringing together AI innovators and transformation leaders at the DeepFest event, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). DeepFest 2025 Powered by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the DeepFest event will see the participation of more than 150 speakers and over 120 exhibitors, with an expected turnout exceeding 50,000 visitors from around the world. DeepFest will showcase the latest AI innovations and technological solutions, with the aim of discovering pioneering technologies, fostering connections, exchanging expertise, and building partnerships in the field of AI to advance innovation and strengthen cooperation among experts across various fields. SDAIA's Participation in LEAP 2025 Furthermore, SDAIA will take part in several events and dialogue sessions at LEAP 2025 to discuss innovation in Saudi Arabia's future economy. It will also showcase AI applications to support emerging economies, and highlight the capabilities of the AI-powered Tawakkalna national app, and its role in boosting the quality of life by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and innovations. Showcasing AI Projects Moreover, SDAIA's pavilion at LEAP 2025 will display its latest AI-driven initiatives and projects, including Tawakkalna app, which significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of digital life in Saudi Arabia; and EYENAI (my eyes), an advanced medical solution that harnesses AI for detecting diabetic retinopathy. It will also showcase other initiatives, such as Ehsan platform, SauTech (your voice), SAMAI, and Nafath, which have played a major role in improving government and technological services in the Kingdom. Highlighting Saudi AI Leadership Additionally, SDAIA will highlight projects which contribute to enhancing Saudi Arabia's leadership in the field of data and AI, displaying its latest research and technologies in AI and its role in bolstering digital innovation. SDAIA's participation underscores its commitment to promoting digital transformation in the Kingdom, empowering data and AI capabilities by supporting national and international initiatives and participating in major conferences and forums. This aligns with the objectives of Vision 2030 to establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for technology and innovation. Short link : Post Views: 1
