NCAI and Huawei Announce MOU to Develop Saudi Arabia’s AI Capabilities
RIYADH, Oct. 22, 2020 -- Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei to enable strategic cooperation on the Kingdom’s National AI Capability Development Program.
Under the MoU, Huawei will support the NCAI to train Saudi AI engineers and students, and to address Arabic language AI-related capabilities. NCAI and Huawei will also explore the creation of an AI Capability Platform to localize technology solutions.
The MoU was announced by Dr. Majid Altuwaijri, CEO of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), and Charles Yang, President of Huawei Middle East, during the Global AI Summit 2020.
The partnership will aim to create a comprehensive strategy, including an AI capability landscape, that will develop AI skills and capabilities in line with the aims of Vision 2030.
NCAI and Huawei will also explore the National AI Talent cultivation and onboarding program, which will provide professional training in AI to Saudi university students, AI researchers and developers, to enable them to master AI technologies and tools. This ongoing program is intended to create a supply of qualified AI talent to meet growing demand from public and private sector organizations in Saudi Arabia.
The MoU is in line with the NCAI goal to support Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI) and to increase national AI innovation and capabilities.
Dr. Majid Altuwaijri said: “We welcome this partnership with Huawei which seeks to transform the Saudi workforce so that it can utilize the power of data and AI. This will be done through education, upskilling and reskilling of Saudis to create a steady supply of data and AI-empowered talent for the country’s workforce.
“This initiative will play an important role in supporting the Kingdom in achieving its Vision 2030 goals, of which around 70% are directly impacted by the data and AI agenda; and in supporting the national ambition to make Saudi Arabia a world leader in the field of AI.”
Charles Yang, President of Huawei Middle East, commented: “Huawei has adopted an ambitious long-term research and development strategy regarding AI, creating unprecedented opportunities through the synergy of AI with 5G connectivity, cloud, computing, and industry applications. In cooperation with SDAIA, we look forward to creating new value across these tech domains, collaborating with local AI developer and industry partners to transform the Kingdom into a leading data-driven economy.”
The NCAI is an arm of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), with responsibility for driving the national AI strategy execution, AI innovation and capabilities building.
About the Global AI Summit
The Global AI Summit, organized by the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), is the world's premier platform for dialogue that brings together stakeholders from public sector, academia and private sector, including technology companies, investors, entrepreneurs and startups, to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The inaugural edition of the Summit takes place virtually on 21 and 22 October 2020. The Global AI Summit is a unique opportunity to explore what the new global era means to AI, how AI's transformational potential can best be used to create a better future for all, and what this means for policy and decision makers interested in leveraging the potential of AI for the good of humanity.
https://www.theglobalaisummit.com/
About SDAIA
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) was established in 2019 as the owner of Saudi Arabia’s national and artificial intelligence agenda, mandated with unlocking the value of data and artificial intelligence to elevate Saudi Arabia as a pioneering nation among the elite league of data-driven economies.
SDAIA delivers on its mandate through three executional arms: 1) the National Data Management Office (NDMO) which is the main regulator and enabler of national data policies and best practices, 2) the National Information Center (NIC) which is the main operator of government data infrastructure, advanced analytics and AI-powered insight platforms, and G-Cloud services, and 3) the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) which drives the national AI strategy execution, AI innovation and capabilities building.
SDAIA’s Board of Directors reports to the Prime Minister and is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.
Source: The Global AI Summit, Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA)
