Saudi ambassador presents credentials to Egypt’s president
Al-Husseini was warmly welcomed by El-Sisi and wished him well in his role as ambassador
Updated 15 July 2024
Arab News
CAIRO: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Egypt Saleh bin Eid Al-Hosseini presented his credentials to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ambassador conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and their wishes for continued progress and prosperity for the Egyptian people.
Al-Husseini was warmly welcomed by El-Sisi and wished him well in his role as ambassador.
El-Sisi asked the ambassador to extend his greetings to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wishing them continued prosperity and progress.
How generative AI is transforming business management in Saudi Arabia
Generative AI is streamlining business processes, enhancing decision-making, and boosting productivity
Ahmed Al-Faifi, head of SAP MENA, highlights the revolutionary impact of the technology on the Kingdom’s digital transformation
Updated 16 August 2024
Rebecca Anne Proctor
DUBAI: As businesses in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region strive for greater efficiency, innovation, and profitability, SAP’s generative artificial intelligence program, Joule, is set to revolutionize the way firms operate.
By integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities directly into business processes, the German software company aims to streamline workflows, enhance decision-making, and boost productivity across industries.
Ahmed Al-Faifi, senior vice president and managing director of SAP Middle East and North Africa, emphasized the impact of AI on the region during remarks at the recent SAP Sapphire conference in Barcelona, Spain.
“The groundbreaking use of generative AI and the partnerships announced by SAP at Sapphire are particularly relevant to our region, where both the public and private sectors have embraced the digital transformation necessary to leverage AI technologies,” said Al-Faifi.
Joule, SAP’s natural language generative AI copilot, is at the heart of this transformation. Designed to simplify tasks and improve outcomes, Joule is expected to manage 80 percent of the most common tasks performed by SAP’s 300 million end users by the end of 2024.
This shift has the potential to increase productivity by 20 percent, offering significant benefits to businesses in the Gulf region.
The capabilities of Joule extend across various business functions, from finance and analytics to order management. Joule also provides strategic recommendations, leveraging SAP’s B2B data model to offer real-time insights that enhance cash collection, supply chain decisions, and procurement strategies.
Opinion
This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)
This level of AI-driven support is particularly valuable in the Gulf, where businesses are navigating rapid growth and digital transformation.
Al-Faifi, a Saudi national leading SAP’s efforts in the region, highlighted the strategic importance of Saudi Arabia as a market.
“Amid this impressive and rapid digital evolution, it is imperative that we use AI in a way that will benefit our region’s businesses and communities,” he said.
“From the outset, SAP pioneered AI solutions that are relevant, reliable, and responsible, and we remain committed to ensuring that the business AI infused across our portfolio adheres to these fundamental principles, while driving successful outcomes for public and private enterprises.”
SAP’s investment in Saudi Arabia reflects its commitment to this mission. Earlier this year, the company opened an SAP Experience Center in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province city of Alkhobar, designed to drive innovation with customers and partners.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, SAP has also extended its Academy of Engineering program until 2025, further bolstering the country’s technological capabilities.
Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in collaboration with SAP Global launched a specialized training program aimed at qualifying national digital talent through both virtual and in-person journeys. (MICT photo)
Innovation is about leveraging knowledge about existing industries, Al-Faifi told Arab News. “For example, in the oil and gas sector, we are working with Saudi Aramco on innovation, specifically regarding maintenance.
“We are making sure that AI and technology are being used to help optimize the company’s maintenance. Of course, there is a business aspect here. We need to reduce costs or increase the time to revenue because maintenance means downtime.”
Al-Faifi also stressed the need for businesses to adapt quickly to the fast-paced advancements in AI.
“AI is challenging everybody. It is going too fast,” he said. “There are so many scenarios, so many capabilities available, and the regulation is still evolving. The major focus here for SAP AI is to help the customer adapt and consume the technology they have in a much easier way.”
Joule is a key tool in this adaptation process, acting as an adviser to clients and simplifying complex business processes to enhance efficiency and productivity. This comes at a crucial time for Saudi Arabia, where rapid growth and transformation are driving the need for innovative solutions.
“The transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia is very exciting,” said Al-Faifi. “We can leverage the use of AI in business to expedite projects and attract new ones. The SAP innovation center in Saudi is meant to help local projects learn how to go faster to realize their goals.”
As SAP continues to expand its AI capabilities, the Gulf region stands to benefit from more streamlined operations, faster project completion, and ultimately, a more competitive position in the global market.
Saudi anime enthusiast entertains with interactive content
Azam Alawaidhi is an Instagram ambassador for the Middle East
Updated 15 August 2024
Rahaf Jambi
RIYADH: Saudi anime content creator Azam Alawaidhi has cemented his status as an Instagram ambassador and the go-to guy for all things anime and comedy.
“I got a message from Instagram team that I have a meeting with them. I entered the meeting and they said, ‘Azam, we want to thank you for the content you post in our app, so for that, we want you to be one of our ambassadors in the Middle East,‘“ he said.
“I felt as if I was in a dream. I went to talk to my mother and my family, and we sat laughing because the whole house was using Instagram, so it was a joke that someone living in the house with them had become an ambassador for the program,” he added.
His hilarious sketches and anime-focused content have amassed him nearly half a million followers on the platform, and his following continues to grow.
Alawaidhi pays great attention to detail in his videos. He dresses up as a different anime character for each video, a practice that requires significant effort from a creator who posts daily content.
Alawaidhi told Arab News: “What distinguishes me from other anime content creators is that my clips are sarcastic and comedic, and sometimes I talk to the characters as if they were with me. I talk about anime stories in a way that makes the viewer enjoy any story I tell and follow the anime.”
Alawaidhi’s passion for anime began at a young age. He recalls being 13 years old and eagerly searching for people his age to discuss anime episodes with but finding it difficult as not many were familiar with the medium at the time.
This inspired him to start creating content, and his first video garnered 100 views, kickstarting his journey as an anime content creator.
“I recognized that many people enjoy watching anime but often lack someone to discuss the episodes with, and I see my role as providing that platform for my followers to share their interest and engage with the content,” he said.
Alawaidhi has been invited as a guest to many anime-related events, such as Geekcon 2024 in Kuwait, where he had a show called “Anas and Azam Show,” as well as Comfest 2023, also in Kuwait, where he did a video with a Japanese voice actor from “One Piece.”
He continued: “I am the first Saudi to make a video with great anime voice actors and this is an honor for me. One of them is Kazuhiko Inoue, the voice actor of Hatake Kakashi in ‘Naruto,’” he said.
Alawaidhi also collaborates with a number of Arabic content creators who share an interest in anime culture. For instance, he is currently working on a project with Emad Ramen, a foodie who specializes in anime cuisine, on creating a dish that Luffy, a character from the “One Piece” anime, would love.
“I am excited about the Dragon Ball theme park that will happen in Qiddiyah in Saudi Arabia, and it’s a huge pride for all anime fans,” Alawaidhi said.
The Dragon Ball theme park is an upcoming attraction being developed in Saudi Arabia by the Qiddiya Investment Co.
It will be the world’s first and only Dragon Ball-themed park, covering over 500,000 square meters. The park will feature seven themed areas recreating iconic locations from the franchise, with over 30 rides and attractions, including a 70-meter tall Shenron statue containing a roller coaster. The park aims to immerse fans in the Dragon Ball universe with themed hotels and restaurants.
Alawaidhi is also working on an anime store where he will sell merchandise with special designs for anime characters, such as paintings, t-shirts, and hoodies, but the name of the store is still under the wraps.
“I’m working on something special for all anime fans and my fans, and I’m sure they will love the special designs.”
Retired Presidency of State Security employee arrested over corruption charges: Nazaha
Information available during his previous work had been exploited, says authority
Updated 15 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: A colonel who had retired from the Kingdom’s Presidency of State Security has been arrested after being caught receiving a sum of money in exchange for claiming to close a corruption case against a businessman.
Saad Ibrahim Al-Yousef was caught receiving a check for SR30,000,000 ($7,994,772) in exchange for claiming to close and finalize a pending financial and administrative corruption case at the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority. Al-Yousef had arranged to receive SR100,000,000 in total as part of the deal, the authority said.
The colonel exploited information which had been available to him during his previous work, with the assistance of a female named Amnah Mohammed Ali Abdullah, of Yemeni origin. Abdullah falsely claimed to hold a government position and claimed she was a member of one of the ruling families of a Gulf state.
Abdullah forged a letter, including a royal order, to deceive the businessman.
The pair also collected SR80,000,000 from citizens, with the assistance of a Syrian called Mohammed Saleem Atfah and a Sudanese resident named Adel Najm Aldeen.
They claimed to have invested the sum in state projects but the group of four purchased real estate inside and outside the Kingdom, and valuable possessions that were then smuggled out of the Kingdom, the authority said.
All the individuals have been arrested and legal measures are currently being taken against them.
Anyone who exploits public office to achieve personal gain or harm the public interest in any way will be prosecuted, the authority said.
Ilian Kirov now runs a falcon farm and was displaying some of his birds at the 2024 International Falcon Breeders Auction
Updated 15 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Ilian Kirov, a former Czech karate expert and coach at the Saudi Karate Federation, has taken up a new hobby, falconry.
Kirov, who first started showing interest in falconry in 2002 when he worked at the SKF, now runs a falcon farm and was displaying some of his birds at the 2024 International Falcon Breeders Auction.
Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, the auction will continue until Aug. 24 at the club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, where leading falcon breeders from 16 countries are participating.
Kirov, the owner of BG Falcons, said he was happy to be a part of the auction.
“I think that the strongest link between the two hobbies is the supernatural speed that a karate player must have, which is one of the most significant qualities of a falcon, in addition to the ferocity that a karate player might resort to sometimes to win, which we find in the falcon when looking for food,” Kirov said.
Kirov praised the efforts and facilities provided by the Saudi Falcon Club.
He said that the sales activity was excellent and that he had sold more than a third of his falcons over the past few days.
“The market is wonderful, and the organization is excellent. I participated with 32 falcons and have sold 12 so far. Falcon enthusiasts are still coming to the auction every day,” he said.
The auction has become an international platform where falconers and falcon breeders meet annually, reflecting the efforts by the Saudi Falcon Club to preserve the historical tradition of falconry.
Saudi Arabia welcomes Sudanese government’s decision to reopen border crossing to aid
The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said it notes the positive impact of this step in addressing humanitarian needs and facilitating the delivery of aid
Updated 15 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday welcomed the Sudanese sovereign council’s decision to allow the use of the Adre border crossing with Chad for three months to enable the entry of aid into areas of the Darfur region.
The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said it notes the positive impact of this step in addressing humanitarian needs, facilitating the delivery of aid, and ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers.
The Kingdom’s delegation to talks in Geneva seeking to end the violence held discussions with the UN Secretary-General’s envoy and representatives of the African Union to discuss providing emergency aid, the ministry said.
