Latest news with #Saudi
CNBC
an hour ago
- Business
- CNBC
Saudi Arabia's regional HQ program is driving a surge in commercial office demand: Knight Frank
Faisal Durrani, MENA Head of Research at Knight Frank says Saudi Arabia's regional headquarters program is having a "significant" impact on the country's office space, also fueling job creation in Riyadh. He also discusses the "disconnect" in Saudi Arabia's residential space - between what's available and what Saudi households can afford. He says the solution may be in adopting modern methods of construction that could bring down costs that developers can pass on to buyers.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Business
- Time of India
Apple launches its first online store in Saudi Arabia: Here's what it means for shoppers in the Kingdom
Apple Online Store Debuts in Saudi Arabia With Arabic Language and Support/ Image: File TL;DR Apple has launched its official online store and app in Saudi Arabia, now fully available in Arabic. Customers can now buy directly from Apple, including engraving options in Arabic and English. Physical Apple Stores are planned to open in the Kingdom starting in 2026, with the first flagship location set for Diriyah. Apple has officially entered the Saudi market, not through a reseller or a regional partner, but with its own online store and app, both now available in Arabic for the first time. This marks a major shift for how people in the Kingdom can access Apple's products and services. Until now, customers in Saudi Arabia had to rely on third-party retailers. With this launch, Apple is offering direct sales, Arabic-language support, and a more personal experience through its app. 'We are thrilled to bring the Apple Store online and the Apple Store app to Saudi Arabia, offering customers a new way to explore and shop Apple's extraordinary lineup of products and services. Our customers in Saudi Arabia are passionate about the things they can do with technology, and our teams can't wait to connect with customers and help them discover how Apple innovations can meaningfully enrich their daily lives,' said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail and People, in the company's newsroom announcement. The update isn't just about convenience. It brings Apple closer to its customers in Saudi Arabia, offering features like localized support and customization options that weren't available before. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest 80$ In The Investment Package And Earn Monthly TradeApp Undo And with the rollout of the Apple Store app, users now have access to a more personalized shopping experience, right from their phone. What's New for Apple Customers in Saudi Arabia? Direct Access for the First Time: People in Saudi Arabia can now buy directly from Apple through its online store or the Apple Store app. Both platforms offer the full product range, from iPhones and iPads to accessories and Macs without needing to go through resellers. Support in Arabic: For the first time, Apple is providing support in Arabic. This applies across its online store, app, and customer service. It's a step that brings the brand closer to its Saudi audience in a more personal and accessible way. Free Arabic Engraving: Apple is also offering free engraving in Arabic and English on selected products. That includes AirPods, Apple Pencil, and AirTag. Users can add text, numbers, or even emojis when placing an order all at no extra cost. Personalized Shopping Experience: The Apple Store app adapts to users' needs, offering suggestions based on devices they already own. You can compare models, save favorites, and track your orders, all in Arabic. Apple's Broader Plan for the Kingdom This isn't just about an online store. Apple is laying the foundation for a deeper presence in the region: Physical Stores by 2026: Apple plans to open its first flagship store in Saudi Arabia by 2026, with more to follow. The Diriyah location will be a key part of this effort. Developer Support: Apple already supports local talent through the Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh, which launched in 2021. It works in partnership with local institutions and the Saudi government to train developers and support women in tech. Part of a Bigger Trend: Big Tech has been investing heavily in Saudi Arabia, and Apple's entry aligns with that. The Kingdom has been actively positioning itself as a hub for tech and innovation. FAQ 1. Can I now buy Apple products directly from Apple in Saudi Arabia? Yes. You can shop from Apple's full product range through the Apple Store online or the Apple Store app in Arabic. 2. Is support available in Arabic? Yes. Apple now provides Arabic-language support, including shopping help, customer service, and engraving. 3. When will physical Apple Stores open in Saudi Arabia? The first Apple Store is expected to open in 2026, with the flagship planned for Diriyah. More stores are likely to follow.
Campaign ME
3 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
PIF-backed HUMAIN's Acting CMO on Saudi Arabia as a global AI powerhouse
As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes industries worldwide, Saudi Arabia has set its sights on becoming an AI powerhouse, positioning itself as a global leader at the heart of the transforming AI-driven economy. At the heart of this movement stands HUMAIN – a PIF-backed AI company envisioned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to place the Kingdom, and the greater Middle East region, front and centre in its development of AI infrastructure, Arabic large language models (LLMs) and cloud services. At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in July 2025, Campaign Middle East spoke exclusively to Steve Plimsoll, Chief Strategy Officer and Acting Chief Marketing Officer, HUMAIN, about going beyond the headlines and billion-dollar deals to answer crucial questions: What makes AI truly transformative for businesses and brands? How do data quality, cultural context and clearly defined use cases determine the real impact of AI strategies on brand, marketing and the society at large? At the core of AI lies data and used cases At the outset, Plimsoll told Campaign Middle East, 'In the same way that Aramco has led the region and the world in the oil sector, HUMAIN was established to lead the world in artificial intelligence. HUMAIN will be global first, but sovereign by design. We will power and enable AI from the ground up, creating capabilites in the region for the world, and this includes data centres, tokens, LLM models and applications built on top of it.' Since its launch in May 2025, the company has already signed deals worth more than $23 billion with global AI leaders such as Nvidia, AMD, Amazon Web Services, and Qualcomm. Plimsoll added, 'HUMAIN will power global AI moves with data centres and large language models. We will enable AI infrastructure while delivering on global demand and the sovereign needs of Saudi Arabia and the region from a data protection, security and capabilities perspective. This includes storing data, processing data and managing it in our data centres in Saudi Arabia – for the region and for the rest of the world.' However, brand and marketing leaders in the region leaning into artificial intelligence who are evaluating the effectiveness of AI strategies have stated that these strategies are only as good as the insights derived from AI analytics, which in turn are only as effective as the quality of first-party and third-party data that feeds AI. When questioned about data integrity and clean data, Plimsoll responded, 'Unfortunately, this is one of the less-asked questions and, yet, one of the most important ones. AI is trained on data. If you train AI on bad data, you get bad AI. If you then feed a bad AI model with bad data again, you get even worse answers. Sure, data remains one of the most important aspects in all of this.' He added, 'But more important than the data is the used case. Why are we using AI? What are we using it for? While it's easy to say that AI is going to change the world, we need to understand how and why.' Plimsoll uses the story of a drill as a metaphor to 'drill the point home'. We buy a drill to drill a hole; we need the hole to put a nail in; we need the nail to put a painting up on the wall – so essentially we bought a drill to put a painting up on the wall. However, AI is like double-sided sticky tape that we buy to put up the painting instead, which metaphorically disrupts the 'drill' and 'nail' industry. 'This is why we've got to ask ourselves, what is the problem that I'm trying to solve?' Plimsoll explained. 'We've got several tools at our disposal, and with the right data and approach, we can solve any problem. We can make any industry more efficient. We can make any human better. We can take the interdependency of human creativity and AI's precision and power, and bring them together to create a unique force that is better than what it is today.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Campaign Middle East (@campaignmiddleeast) Arabic large language models: Built in Saudi Arabia, but for the world Building on the conversation of making the brand and marketing industry better, Plimsoll also addressed the untapped potential of Arabic large language models (LLMs) targeting users in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East – especially given growing conversations around the localisation of content and connecting brands with communities by leveraging the languages in which consumers think. 'In the Middle East, and specifically in Saudi Arabia, it's important to understand that tradition, culture and heritage are embedded in everything we do, but most LLMs that we use are built of generic content available globally that are meant for everyone, everywhere. They don't understand cultural nuance or the several sub-dialects of the Arabic language. It's important to understand that the 400 million Arabic speakers in the world don't all speak the same way,' Plimsoll said. He added, 'This is why we need to train AI and large language models based on how people speak and choose to ask questions in their language. Then we need to train LLMs to create generative content that is relevant, contextual and culturally nuanced enough to accurately and efficiently respond to a query set in a hyper-local context.' Through the conversation, he went on to add that global campaigns 'converted', 'translated', 'created' or 'generated' to suit the Middle East region may look appropriate to a global audience, but completely inappropriate to audiences in the region due to its misrepresentation of national attire, colloquial language, cultural etiquette – all of which need to be addressed not only by creatives, but also by those developing LLMs for the region. 'We need to build the best Arabic large language models from the region that aren't just about Arabic, but are about understanding the Middle East in all its facets, including religion, culture, tradition, heritage, customs, behaviours, preferences, intent and, most importantly, people – and that's how we're going to change LLMs and the future of marketing,' Plimsoll concluded.
Middle East
3 hours ago
- Business
- Middle East
OPEN// PM underscores significance of investment promotion, protection agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia
NEW ALAMEIN, July 21 (MENA) - Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli has emphasized the significance of the agreement on the promotion and protection of mutual investments signed between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Most of the longstanding issues faced by Saudi investors in Egypt have already been resolved—something that has been well received and praised by Saudi investors themselves, Madbouli added during his meeting on Monday with Ayedh Al-Qahtani, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's Sumou Holding. Held at the government headquarters in New Alamein City, the meeting reviewed the Saudi group's investment plans in Egypt. The meeting was attended by the group's CEO Saeed Salem Al-Nahdi, CEO of Sumou Investment Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani, CEO of Adeer Real Estate Company Meteb Al Saad Al-Qahtani, CEO of Adeer International Bassel El Serafy, Managing Director and CEO of Midar for Investment and Urban Development Ayman ElKousey, and COO of Adeer International Ahmed Helmy. The premier affirmed the Egyptian government is offering every possible incentive and facilitation for investors and creating a favorable investment environment across all sectors, noting that he directed relevant ministers to put this file as a top priority. He added that the government is working to attract foreign investments and welcomes Saudi investors and Sumou's initiative for establishing real estate investment funds. Meanwhile, Ayedh Al-Qahtani said Sumou is one of the largest real estate development companies with two subsidiaries —Sumou Real Estate and Adeer Real Estate— listed on the Saudi stock exchange. "We are working on launching a real estate fund in Egypt," he added. Sumou Real Estate and Sumou Holding are among the largest developers in Medina, Mecca, and other Saudi cities, he noted. Qahtani pointed out that the group operates in Egypt through Adeer and has previously partnered with several Egyptian companies in Saudi Arabia. "We are eager to invest in Egypt and will soon announce our first project in the Egyptian market," he said. Qahtani also praised Egypt's recent achievements, especially in infrastructure and new city construction, such as the New Administrative Capital and New Al Alamein City. "Real estate funds will create a major shift in Egypt's investment landscape, and we plan to invest strategically in this sector," he noted. He also commended the agreement on the promotion and protection of mutual investments between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, noting that it would encourage many Saudi investors to inject investments into the Egyptian market. (MENA) I S N/M R E
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Apple Launches Online Store in Saudi Arabia, Plans Physical Expansion by 2026
Apple has officially launched its online retail store in Saudi Arabia, allowing customers in the kingdom to directly browse and buy Apple products from the company's own platform for the first time. Announced on Tuesday, this move marks a major step in Apple's expansion into the Middle East and sets the stage for the opening of physical retail stores in the country, slated for 2026. In addition to product availability, Apple's Saudi-specific website will offer dedicated local features such as Arabic language support and Arabic engraving options for selected products. The Apple Store app is also being introduced in the region, enhancing the digital shopping experience for Saudi users. Until now, customers in Saudi Arabia have had to rely on authorized resellers to purchase Apple products. While the App Store has been accessible in the region for years, the launch of the full online retail experience brings Saudi consumers in line with Apple's global customer base. The move not only represents increased access to Apple's ecosystem but also highlights the company's interest in building a closer relationship with the country's tech-savvy population. The retail expansion into Saudi Arabia comes as part of a broader wave of investment by major U.S. tech companies in the kingdom. Over recent months, firms like Amazon, Google, Nvidia, and AMD have entered multi-billion-dollar partnerships with Saudi-backed ventures, signaling an industry-wide trend of deeper engagement with the region. One significant development occurred during U.S. President Donald Trump's May visit to the Middle East. On that occasion, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the creation of Humain, an artificial intelligence company owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. On the same day, several major U.S.-based technology companies announced large-scale collaborations with the new AI firm. Despite this influx of capital and corporate partnerships, Saudi Arabia remains under scrutiny for its human rights record. However, these concerns have not slowed the pace of tech expansion into the region, with companies often citing strategic growth opportunities and access to an increasingly digital population. Apple's entry into Saudi Arabia's direct-to-consumer market reflects a long-term vision to grow its footprint in the Gulf. The new online store provides Saudi customers with an opportunity to engage more directly with Apple's product ecosystem and services, while future physical stores promise a more immersive retail experience akin to the company's global outlets. With tech giants racing to tap into the region's economic diversification and digital transformation initiatives, Apple's Saudi debut signals that the kingdom is fast becoming a key player in the global tech landscape.
