Over 260,000 Saudi students gear up for AI Olympics
This competition will test students’ tech skills in problem-solving and AI algorithms, focusing on analyzing problems, designing learning-based algorithms, data structuring, and programming
Updated 11 December 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: The National Olympics for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, or ATHKA, achieved a record-breaking enrolment of more than 260,000 Saudi students from over 10,000 schools at intermediate and secondary levels in the Kingdom.
ATHKA, a collaboration between the Saudi Data and AI Authority, the Ministry of Education, and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, aims to foster a generation skilled in programming and AI.
The application process starts with a qualifying test and progresses to a remote stage, featuring 30 hours of training for competition readiness. The five-day competition is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, starting April 23, 2024.
This competition will test students’ tech skills in problem-solving and AI algorithms, focusing on analyzing problems, designing learning-based algorithms, data structuring, and programming.
In April 2023, the Kingdom secured second place globally in societal awareness of AI. This achievement follows a survey demonstrating increased confidence among Saudi citizens in utilizing AI products and services.
In October, the Ministry of Education introduced the Artificial Intelligence Hour initiative, a training program for 575,000 students and 9,700 teachers in over 1,300 schools across Saudi Arabia, focusing on the concepts of AI.
The initiative aimed to raise tech awareness among students, inspiring the next generation of programmers as part of the Kingdom’s youth empowerment efforts.
Since 2019, the Saudi Data and AI Authority, under the guidance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has elevated awareness and built human capabilities in data and AI while Mawhiba, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, trains gifted public school students in various subjects.
Saudi Arabia, France civil aviation authorities discuss boosting air connectivity
Riyadh and Paris aim to increase the number of flights connecting them
Updated 06 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabian and French civil aviation authorities signed a record of discussions to boost air transport connectivity between the two countries on Thursday.
Bader Al-Sagri, the director of the international cooperation department at the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, and Emmanuel Vivet, the deputy director of air services at the French Civil Aviation Authority, signed the document in Paris.
The document aims to strengthen the partnership between Riyadh and Paris in civil aviation, increase the number of flights, and grow air transport between the two countries.
The cooperation will further enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a global logistics center for civil aviation and air transport services, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aims to position the country as a hub for aviation connectivity to 250 international destinations, serving an expected 330 million passengers annually by 2030.
This week, during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh and Paris have inked numerous pacts across diverse sectors.
On Wednesday, the Kingdom’s national carrier, Saudia signed a strategic partnership with Air France-KLM to collaborate in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.
How Saudi Arabia is leveraging artificial intelligence to tackle land degradation
Satellite imagery and remote sensing enable AI to detect land degradation early and suggest solutions
The Saudi Green Initiative is using AI to find suitable locations for 10 billion new trees and to rehabilitate land
Updated 06 December 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: As land degradation becomes an increasingly urgent environmental issue for Gulf nations, where arable land and permanent crops make up less than 2 percent of the total area, countries like Saudi Arabia are leveraging artificial intelligence to help forecast trends and guide decisions on land management and conservation.
The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction defines land degradation as the reduction or loss of land’s biological or economic productivity caused by human-induced activities, including deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable agricultural practices.
Saudi Arabia’s Climate Envoy and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir believes land degradation is driving the displacement of millions and destabilizing entire regions across the globe.
“When people cannot grow food, they migrate,” he told delegates at the COP16 summit in Riyadh on Tuesday.
“This migration often leads to tension and conflict in the receiving areas, creating a cycle of dislocation and violence. This is an issue that touches every aspect of our lives — food security, national security, migration, air quality and biodiversity,” he said, urging nations to collaborate on finding solutions to reverse environmental degradation.
Samer Al-Chikhani, a partner with the consulting firm Strategy& Middle East, believes the main cause of land degradation in the Gulf region is overgrazing, which has been linked to more than 90 percent of land loss.
“Land degradation affects 20 to 40 percent of land, with the world witnessing the loss of more than 100 million hectares of land each year between 2015 and 2019, roughly twice the size of Saudi Arabia,” he told Arab News.
AI-driven models and digital twins could predict future land degradation trends by analyzing climate data. (UN)
Unregulated access to natural areas was another factor leading to “notable habitat damage,” he said, while “unsustainable agricultural practices contribute to soil degradation by causing salinization, erosion and loss of productivity.”
Meanwhile, urban expansion exacerbated land degradation by encroaching on natural habitats and diminishing the land available for agriculture, Al-Chikhani said.
“It is estimated that urbanization and human activities have led to the modification of 40 percent of the GCC coastline,” he said, adding that similar issues, including deforestation, forest fires, invasive species, drought and other climate impacts, also affected the Levant region and North Africa.
“The loss of healthy ecosystems affects communities that depend on the land for grazing, agriculture and other traditional livelihoods,” he said.
“Grazing is deeply tied to the Bedouin lifestyle, a defining feature of GCC history and culture. Healthy and thriving rangelands support the livestock sector, which contributes significantly to food security and rural economies.”
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Moreover, as land degradation, erosion and salinization increased, land productivity declined, resulting in lower crop yields, Al-Chikhani said.
“For example, studies suggest that salinization has a negative effect on crop yields of up to 38 percent in Saudi Arabia. This impacts key produce such as dates and fodder crops.
“In the long term, land degradation weakens both the environment and the economy, posing a serious challenge to the region’s growth and stability.”
Land plays a crucial role in both adapting to and mitigating climate change, making the fight against land degradation all the more critical.
Al-Chikhani highlighted the emergence of AI as a powerful tool in land conservation and restoration projects worldwide.
In Saudi Arabia, “AI is being used to support the Saudi Green Initiative and identify optimal planting locations,” he said.
The Saudi Data and AI Authority has partnered with several government entities to harness AI solutions in support of the SGI, creating smart solutions for combating climate change. In pursuit of the SGI’s goal to plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, AI is used to analyze regional climate data, soil conditions and water availability to identify optimal planting locations and determine requirements for maximum efficiency.
By using satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies, Al-Chikhani said AI could analyze vast amounts of data to detect land degradation early and identify potential solutions.
AI-driven models and digital twins could predict future land degradation trends by analyzing climate data, rainfall patterns and land-use practices, enabling more informed decisions on land management and conservation, he said.
“Bespoke AI solutions adapted for the specificities of our Middle East environment can go a long way in restoring our degraded lands and reducing the long-term impacts of land degradation.”
DID YOU KNOW?
• About 40 percent of the world’s land is degraded, affecting more than 3.2 billion people.
• By 2050, crop yields in some regions could fall by 50 percent, increasing food prices by 30 percent.
• Investing in land restoration could yield up to $8 in benefits for every dollar spent.
(Source: UN Convention to Combat Desertification)
In the UAE, the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi recently piloted AI and drone systems to assess soil quality and used AI-powered drone-seeding to help rehabilitate the emirate’s deserts and mangroves.
“AI-driven data analytics can transform decision making by generating precise, actionable insights regarding land management and automatically proposing potential solutions for areas that need interventions,” Al-Chikhani said.
“By consolidating data from satellites, drones, sensors and weather models, AI can help decision makers identify at-risk areas, predict future changes and recommend effective restoration strategies, enabling better resource allocation.”
In fact, the power of AI is being harnessed globally to address environmental issues.
Samer Al Chikhani, Partner at Strategy& Middle East, part of the PwC network. (Supplied)
“MIT’s AI-Screening Reforestation Project uses AI to identify optimal restoration sites across the globe, based on factors such as current soil health, restoration potential and carbon capture potential,” Al-Chikhani said.
“In the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa, AI is being utilized to optimize tree planting locations and monitor soil restoration — in arid regions similar to the Middle East.
“AI tools are also being leveraged in Canada and Spain to predict and detect wildfires, hence supporting in combating deforestation.
“AI can also optimize agricultural water use by analyzing soil moisture, crop health and climate data, potentially reducing water consumption by 30 percent or more compared to traditional practices,” he said.
“In a region where agriculture accounts for 70-80 percent of total water use, this can significantly help reduce water waste and prevent groundwater depletion.”
The Gulf region, in particular, is in need of innovative, low-cost and water-efficient techniques for land restoration.
“This will be key for the successful delivery of large-scale greening programs with ambitious targets such as the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives,” Al-Chikhani said.
Land plays a crucial role in both adapting to and mitigating climate change, making the fight against land degradation all the more critical. (UN)
“Combining traditional knowledge with AI technologies offers a comprehensive approach to sustainable land management in the region.”
He highlighted the importance of engaging rural communities and the private sector, which should be supported by the development of practical, bankable business models.
“Advanced technologies, such as AI and satellite remote sensing, will accelerate progress, while cost-effective, water-efficient restoration techniques can also address local challenges at scale,” he said.
“It is important to empower ‘land champions’ and for all stakeholders to leverage platforms like the COP16 meeting in Riyadh, which are significant to spotlight the issue.
“Ultimately, sustainable land management will serve as a cornerstone for securing land and water resources, protecting biodiversity, building climate resilience and achieving lasting socioeconomic stability.”
Al-Ahsa governor inaugurates Saudi Arabia’s first hydrogen-powered bus
The bus can transport 45 passengers and travel up to 635 km on a single charge
It is set to connect the city of Dammam to Al-Ahsa by covering a total distance of 359 km daily
Updated 05 December 2024
SPA
AL-AHSA, Saudi Arabia: Al-Ahsa Gov. Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr inaugurated on Thursday the Kingdom’s first hydrogen-powered bus, in the presence of Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih, deputy minister of transport and logistics, and acting chairman of the Saudi Public Transport Authority.
The bus, which can transport 45 passengers and travel up to 635 km on a single charge, is set to connect the city of Dammam to Al-Ahsa by covering a total distance of 359 km daily. This comes as part of the intercity transport services provided by SAPTCO ALSA for Transportation, which won the concession for the Southern region.
During the event, Prince Saud watched a presentation detailing how hydrogen-powered buses work, how they are supplied with fuel, their safety level and their contribution to lowering carbon emissions. He then traveled on the bus with the participants and toured the region.
Asir border guards arrest smuggler with 124 kg of qat
Updated 05 December 2024
Arab News
ABHA: Saudi Border Guard land patrols in the southern Dhahran sector of the Asir region arrested an Ethiopian trying to smuggle 124 kilograms of qat.
Meanwhile, authorities in Al-Aridah governorate foiled an attempt to smuggle 210 kilograms of the narcotic qat plant.
Elsewhere, security officials in Jazan arrested a resident for selling 236 kilograms of qat plant in the Al-Dayer governorate.
Legal procedures were completed, and the arrested suspects were referred to the relevant authorities.
Security authorities reiterated their call for the public to report any information about drug smuggling or selling by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions of the Kingdom.
People can also contact the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or via email.
Saudi researchers secure US patent for innovative medical material
Material supports regeneration of bone tissue across various parts of the body, clinical trials show
Updated 05 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: King Saud University announced on Thursday that two of its team have secured a US patent for a novel material designed to inhibit bone bleeding and combat microbial infections, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Dr. Nasser bin Salem bin Noah, a consultant specializing in maxillofacial surgery at the College of Dentistry and University Dental Hospital, and Dr. Muhammad bin Salah, an assistant consultant at the Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics, developed the material using circular silver particles extracted from nettle leaves through nanotechnology.
The material not only helps stop bleeding but also reduces inflammation rates compared with existing alternatives, SPA added.
The material supports the regeneration of bone tissue across various parts of the body, as demonstrated by clinical trials involving advanced micro-CT scans and bone tissue analysis.
A study highlighting the material’s efficacy and potential applications has been published in high-ranking scientific journals, SPA reported.
Salah emphasized the significance of the advancement, saying that it represented a step forward in enhancing surgical outcomes and improving patient care.
