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Campaign ME
06-05-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Can AI transform PR in the Middle East without losing the human touch?
Artificial intelligence has made its way into almost every part of our lives, and communications is no exception. Across the GCC, AI is no longer something we are experimenting with or cautiously exploring. It has quickly become part of the way PR professionals work every day. But let's be clear, in this part of the world, where trust, relationships and cultural understanding still matter deeply, AI is not here to replace us. It is here to help us do our jobs better, faster and smarter. In places like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, governments are serious about leading the world in AI. The UAE's National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 both make digital innovation a national priority. And as those ambitions grow, so does the need for communications that keep pace. PR teams across the Gulf are adapting quickly, weaving AI tools into their everyday routines. Today, AI is already changing how we work behind the scenes. It helps us track media coverage in real time, spot shifts in public sentiment and even predict what stories are likely to get attention. It is helping personalise pitches to journalists, saving hours that would have gone into manual research. Translation tools have also come a long way, helping teams create bilingual content at speed, although, anyone who works with Arabic content knows that AI translations still need a careful human touch to get the tone right. And that brings us to an important point. AI can be incredibly powerful, but it does not always understand the nuances of language, culture and human emotion, all of which are absolutely critical here. A mistranslation, a misjudged phrase, or a culturally insensitive message can damage relationships that have taken years to build. In a market where reputation is everything, getting the small things right matters just as much as the big moves. There is also the simple truth that relationships drive business in the GCC. People want to know who they are working with. They want trust, loyalty and real connections. No algorithm, no matter how sophisticated, can take the place of a face-to-face meeting, a shared conversation, or the intuition a seasoned communicator brings to a room. Then there are new challenges around data privacy. Laws like the UAE's Personal Data Protection Law are a sign that the region is getting serious about regulating how data is collected and used. PR teams that lean heavily on AI must be even more careful about how they handle personal information and protect client trust. Even with these challenges, the upside is clear. AI is freeing communicators from the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that once ate up our days. It gives us more space to focus on strategy, creativity, crisis management and relationship building, the work that makes the real difference. It is a powerful tool, but like all tools, it is only as effective as the person using it. AI's role in GCC communications will only grow. We are seeing early signs of Arabic AI-generated video content taking off on social platforms. Reputation management tools are getting smarter, helping brands spot potential issues before they blow up. Companies are starting to think seriously about ethical AI use, not just because regulators might force them to, but because they know trust is the most valuable asset they have. Here is the simple truth. AI will not replace PR professionals in the Middle East. But those who learn to use AI well will absolutely replace those who do not. The winners will be the communicators who can blend the best of technology with the best of human instinct and creativity. The GCC is in a unique position. With bold leadership, ambitious national visions and a young, tech-savvy population, this region could set the gold standard for how AI and human storytelling come together. The future of communications here is not about choosing between human or machine. It is about using both, together, to tell better, stronger and smarter stories. Those who embrace that reality will shape not just the future of PR in the Gulf, but the future of communications across the world. By Zeeshan Masud, Director Client Experience, Weber Shandwick MENAT
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amnesty says Indonesia suppresses free speech with crackdowns on public protests
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Amnesty International criticized Indonesia's government Tuesday, saying it suppresses free speech with crackdowns on public protests, targets journalists and rights activists and uses spyware against dissidents. The rights group said in its annual report on Indonesia that public protests 'were met with excessive and unnecessary force and arbitrary arrests,' including in August when thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest attempts by the House of Representatives to change the country's election law. The amendment would have permitted Kaesang Pangarep, the son of former president Joko Widodo, to run for regional office despite not meeting the age requirement for candidacy. The parliament eventually withdrew the bill after widespread criticism. The report said at least 344 people were arrested while taking part in public protests across the country in 2024, 152 of them were physically harmed and 17 suffered from the effects of tear gas, while 65 suffered multiple abuses, including 15 university students who were hospitalized. Most of those arrested were later released. It also recorded 123 cases of physical assaults and 288 digital attacks and threats against media workers and human rights activists, including 11 journalists in the capital, Jakarta, who were reportedly targeted by law enforcement. Incidents involved acts of intimidation, death threats and physical violence. The group also said unlawful killings of civilians 'continued with impunity' as the conflict between the Indonesian military and armed separatist groups in the restive region of Papua continued. Amnesty said the government continued to use spyware against dissidents despite a new law that came into effect last October that was supposed to protect people from digital snooping. The group said that the Personal Data Protection Law had not yet been implemented, including what was supposed to be the establishment of a dedicated data protection agency. Amnesty previously has reported that, based on its own research, the government from 2017 to 2023 imported spyware from Greece, Israel, Malaysia and Singapore that was used by police and government agencies. 'If the use of authoritarian practices is not stopped immediately, then we could be heading towards an epidemic of human rights violations, something we do not want,' said Usman Hamid, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, while launching the report in Jakarta. Hamid said that although Indonesia has failed to uphold human rights in 2024, the group will continue to voice their support for President Prabowo Subianto 's administration "to make human rights the key to every policy the country takes, both domestically and internationally.' The Ministry for Law and Human Rights did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Jakarta-based Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, or ICJR, said arbitrary arrests and torture will continue in the country until its criminal code is reformed to curb the powers granted to law enforcement. 'Such reforms are essential to address the root cause of poor law enforcement, which arises from the broad powers granted to investigators to make arrests without proper oversight or legal review,' ICJR said in a statement. ___ This story has been corrected to add the title of Amnesty International Indonesia official.
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Amnesty says Indonesia suppresses free speech with crackdowns on public protests
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Amnesty International criticized Indonesia's government Tuesday, saying it suppresses free speech with crackdowns on public protests, targets journalists and rights activists and uses spyware against dissidents. The rights group said in its annual report on Indonesia that public protests 'were met with excessive and unnecessary force and arbitrary arrests,' including in August when thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest attempts by the House of Representatives to change the country's election law. The amendment would have permitted Kaesang Pangarep, the son of former president Joko Widodo, to run for regional office despite not meeting the age requirement for candidacy. The parliament eventually withdrew the bill after widespread criticism. The report said at least 344 people were arrested while taking part in public protests across the country in 2024, 152 of them were physically harmed and 17 suffered from the effects of tear gas, while 65 suffered multiple abuses, including 15 university students who were hospitalized. Most of those arrested were later released. It also recorded 123 cases of physical assaults and 288 digital attacks and threats against media workers and human rights activists, including 11 journalists in the capital, Jakarta, who were reportedly targeted by law enforcement. Incidents involved acts of intimidation, death threats and physical violence. The group also said unlawful killings of civilians 'continued with impunity' as the conflict between the Indonesian military and armed separatist groups in the restive region of Papua continued. Amnesty said the government continued to use spyware against dissidents despite a new law that came into effect last October that was supposed to protect people from digital snooping. The group said that the Personal Data Protection Law had not yet been implemented, including what was supposed to be the establishment of a dedicated data protection agency. Amnesty previously has reported that, based on its own research, the government from 2017 to 2023 imported spyware from Greece, Israel, Malaysia and Singapore that was used by police and government agencies. 'If the use of authoritarian practices is not stopped immediately, then we could be heading towards an epidemic of human rights violations, something we do not want,' said Usman Hamid, the Executive Director of Amnesty International, while launching the report in Jakarta. Hamid said that although Indonesia has failed to uphold human rights in 2024, the group will continue to voice their support for President Prabowo Subianto 's administration 'to make human rights the key to every policy the country takes, both domestically and internationally.' The Ministry for Law and Human Rights did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Jakarta-based Institute for Criminal Justice Reform or ICJR said arbitrary arrests and torture will continue in the country until its criminal code is reformed to curb the powers granted to law enforcement. 'Such reforms are essential to address the root cause of poor law enforcement, which arises from the broad powers granted to investigators to make arrests without proper oversight or legal review,' the ICJR said in a statement.
Zawya
14-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
IMF hails Saudi Arabia's leading position in data centers and digital infrastructure
RIYADH —The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has affirmed Saudi Arabia's leading position in the number of data centers among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, reflecting the Kingdom's significant progress in developing digital infrastructure. This advancement is closely linked to rapid growth in the fields of data and artificial intelligence, led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is the national entity responsible for development, processing, and regulatory efforts in collaboration with relevant sectors. In its recent study titled 'Digital Transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council Economies,' the IMF praised Saudi Arabia's establishment of SDAIA as an independent authority in 2019 and highlighted the launch of the National Strategy for Data and AI. The IMF also commended the Kingdom's issuance of the Personal Data Protection Law, emphasizing Saudi Arabia's commitment to strong data governance and privacy. The law seeks to create a dynamic regulatory environment that keeps pace with technological developments while safeguarding individual and institutional rights in line with global standards. As part of its strategic initiatives, SDAIA is developing and operating sustainable data centers that meet international benchmarks and are certified by the Uptime Institute — the global authority on data center classifications. These facilities are also recognized for their energy efficiency, featuring low power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratings. The IMF further noted the Kingdom's success in launching a series of digital platforms that have accelerated progress across key sectors. These platforms have contributed to improving quality of life, enhancing service reliability and accessibility, and advancing the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Leaders
13-04-2025
- Business
- Leaders
IMF: Saudi Arabia Secures Prestigious Position in Digital Infrastructure
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Saudi Arabia's pioneering status among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the digital infrastructure sphere, according to Saudi Gazette. The IMF emphasized that the Kingdom has the largest number of data centers among GCC countries. This remarkable milestone is driven by the Kingdom's rapid growth of data analysis and AI technologies under the leadership of its national digital entity, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Titled 'Digital Transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council Economies,' the IMF's recent study has lauded SDAIA's pivotal efforts in elevating the digital infrastructure through the National Strategy for Data and AI. Apart from this, the IMF has praised Saudi Arabia's issuance of the Personal Data Protection Law, emphasizing that such an important step stands as a testament to the Kingdom's dedication to maintaining strong data governance and privacy. In line with global standards, the law aims to provide a dynamic regulatory environment and protect individual and institutional rights. Through its strategic initiatives, SDAIA is currently leading and operating sustainable data centers that are certified by the global authority on data center classifications, the Uptime Institute. Importantly, the IMF also highlighted the Kingdom's remarkable success in launching a vast array of digital platforms that have played a crucial role in accelerating digital transformation. These platforms have also fulfilled objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 in promoting quality of life and boosting service reliability and accessibility. Related Topics: Saudi Arabia Soars as Global Economic Leader: Top IMF Official Shares Bold Insights IMF Applauds Saudi Arabia for Surpassing Vision 2030 Tourism Goals Short link : Post Views: 41
