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Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Khalifa Fund honors the winners of the Venturist Summer Camp competition for gaming development
Abu Dhabi: The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) honoured winners of the top three positions for the eighth edition of its Venturist Summer Camp, which was held from July 7 to 11, 2025, at the 42 Abu Dhabi headquarters, with the participation of 50 Emirati students. The camp is part of Khalifa Fund's ongoing initiatives to foster an entrepreneurial culture, cultivate specialised skills and offer practical expertise to national talents and professionals. The Venturist Summer Camp's training program was conducted in two different pathways. The first pathway catered to participants aged 13 to 15, aiming to build a strong foundation in programming and game development. The second pathway was designed for those aged 16 to 18, offering advanced training in game development, with a focus on cutting-edge techniques and creative approaches. On the opening day, participants engaged in experimentation, networking, collaboration and idea exploration activities. The second day, themed 'Foundations and Collaborative Critiques', enabled participants to construct core game elements and refine their concepts through peer feedback. The third day focused on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and programming, offering participants hands-on experience in large language models (LLMs) and LUA coding language. On the fourth day, the focus was on providing final inspiration, during which participants explored professional game designs to spark creative ideas. The camp concluded with the presentation of refined games, providing a dynamic platform to showcase projects, strengthen a culture of teamwork and develop entrepreneurial thinking, all under the guidance of experienced industry professionals. On the final day, the camp selected winning teams. First place was jointly awarded to Sara Abuhalqia and Mahra Alsalami (Pearl of the Damned) and Mohammed Rayn Ahmed and Hamad Alshemeili (Pick your Poison). The second position was shared by Hamad AlKatheeri (Echo Rift) and Khalid Alhammadi and Abdelaziz Yousif (Sands of Unity). Third place was won by Alyazia Alshamsi, Aljoori Amer Almansoori, Aldana Eisa Alkaabi and Meera Abdullah (Kingdom Valley). Her Excellency Mouza Al Nasri, CEO of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: 'At Khalifa Fund, we believe in the significant role of children and youth in driving national development and shaping the future by equipping them with advanced tools and technologies and foster their creative skills. The Venturist Summer Camp reflects our strategic vision, providing participants a comprehensive ecosystem with advanced tools to refine their innovative skills, promote an entrepreneurial culture and take their initial step towards promising careers in programming and game development fields, which hold a pivotal position in the current economic landscape. On this occasion, we congratulate all the winning teams on their achievement and wish them success in their future endeavours in programming and game development. We extend our appreciation to all participants for their ambition and creativity.' Since its launch in 2022, the Venturist Summer Camp has attracted over 750 Emirati students through its diverse training programs. About Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development: The Khalifa Fund is an independent, non-profit organisation affiliated with Abu Dhabi Government. Its mission is to nurture the culture of entrepreneurship, promote innovation, and offer support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the UAE through a balanced ecosystem. Founded in 2007 in accordance with Law No. 14 of 2005 and its amendments, the Fund was established to align with the vision of the late Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former President of the United Arab Emirates.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
New tools, diverse storytelling: Is AI democratising filmmaking?
"Dad, I know this looks real, but it's only AI. You don't have to wire money to anyone!' says a young, handcuffed woman, sitting in the centre of a dingy room. That video, and many others, made the rounds on social media shortly after the launch of VEO3. Google's new AI video generation model promised anyone with an access to a computer the ability to generate near-realistic videos from simple text prompts — and it kept its promise. What had been primarily a tool for filmmakers was suddenly available to everyone. What if this tool lands in the wrong hands: those who will abuse it for purposes other than the art of audio-visual storytelling? And that, of course, is not the only 'downside' of AI in film. Recently appointed Head of Luma AI's LA Studio, Verena Puhm has made significant waves in the field, trailblazing through a world of new opportunities in the art of audio-visual storytelling with AI. Puhm attended the AI Film Festival in Dubai, where she vowed the audience with her Sora Selects Film 2025 AI short film MILK. She also spoke frankly about the pros and cons, hinting at another shortcoming: IP and copyright infringements, anticipating what would occur a couple of months later, when Disney sued Midjourney for using Disney's IP. In this context, Puhm broadens the discussion in our interview: 'There's a big responsibility also on creatives to just do the right thing. If you put in 'Batman is fighting Spider-Man' in Midjourney, you might get Batman and Spider-Man fighting. Is that the content that you want to create? Then you cannot sell it.' One of the keywords that quickly crystalises from the interview is 'agency.' Puhm criticises some AI filmmakers for ripping off other artistes, for prompts like: 'in the style of Wes Anderson.' As James Cameron once pointed out, we're all models. We have been trained on movies, trained on stories, trained on the world's materials, but that doesn't give filmmakers permission to rip off other artists' work. Generally, it's not the intention of the AI toolmaker to encourage this, so it shouldn't be the intention of the creative using it, either. For audio-visual filmmakers who are just starting out in AI, Puhm suggests that they educate themselves before going through the creative process, and to keep doing what any creative would have done before the existence of AI: to secure their rights and involvement. While AI toolmakers aren't taking anything away from the creative in the same way studios have done in the past, Puhm points out that if there's a concern with IP retention or copyright, then leave traces of human involvement in the creation. For example, manipulate the created image in Photoshop, make screenshots or screen recordings of the process, do anything to document interaction between human and machine. While the use of AI was somewhat frowned upon at previous editions of the Cannes Film Festival — not just because the tools we have today hadn't been developed yet — Puhm noticed a change at this year's edition: AI was met with curiosity for the first time. 'If you're curious, you're not there yet where you're judging, and the biggest issue that I've seen in the past was that people are judging too fast. They judge based on fear or ignorance and no education.' One of the greatest opportunities AI film-making has to offer any storyteller around the world is that it 'provides this new playground for filmmakers that have historically been left out of the narrative because they were either not locally in Hollywood… to tell a story, did not have personal ties to studios … and now they pitch their project and (it) would get made (even though) they did not have a story that would reflect what the mostly male, white-dominated studio heads would want to see.' Instead of seeing it as a menace, AI can be a tool of connection between different cultures. 'It's an opportunity to under-represented voices to tell their story… all of a sudden, I can connect with someone from Zimbabwe that I never would have met. I would have never understood their cultural norms, beliefs, religion, anything that really makes me understand a different culture, and helps me expand my view on the world.' As a creator and storyteller herself, Puhm sees AI more as an expansion of humanity's film-making capabilities; writers can verbalise what they want to see in an image, designers can use motion graphics, and add sound and audio without the necessary skills you needed before. With a long background in traditional film-making, Puhm recalls the moment she first brushed shoulders with AI as a film-making tool: 'I felt that I got my agency back. I did not have to rely on gatekeepers to green-light my projects.' To Puhm, the biggest argument in favour of AI is democratisation: giving power back to the people, which is happening with the accessibility of film-making tools, and giving respect back to the artists, who 'historically have been very much exploited by the system... even though the creatives are the ones that are creating worlds; so with this new shift we can become storytellers on any platform.' She concludes: 'That's what it's about … giving artists an opportunity, the respect they actually deserve and to shape how the future of storytelling can look like. Hopefully, it will be broader than what we have experienced in the past.'
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia pavilion launches cross-cultural business collaboration events at Expo 2025 Osaka
As part of Expo 2025 Osaka Theme Week Five, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion is hosting dedicated business events to explore opportunities and facilitate meaningful dialogue from 22nd – 25th July. Expo 2025 Osaka's Theme Week Five, 'Learning and Playing Week,' runs from July 17th to July 28th, 2025. The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is open daily from 09:00 – 21:00, inside the West Gate in the Connecting Zone (C14-01). Osaka, Japan — The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is set to host engaging business events designed to foster collaboration and forge global partnerships as part of Expo 2025 Osaka's 'Learning and Playing Week.' During these business events, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion will address Theme Week Five's question, 'What should humans learn in the era of AI?' by exemplifying the future of Saudi Arabia's digitalization, cutting-edge digital initiatives, and the Kingdom's path towards optimized learning. Expo 2025 Osaka's Theme Weeks is an initiative in which countries from around the world solve global issues through dialogue. The Theme Week Five sessions allow International Participants to share insights into the evolving digital innovation and its implications for future societies. The Theme Week Five event, 'Gamification: Future Prospects', hosted by the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, will discuss transformative initiatives, such as the role of innovative technologies in transforming education, advancing Saudi Arabia towards a more sustainable future, and empowering youth independence in age of AI. From the 22nd – 25th July, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka will host the following business events supported with live Japanese translation: Cultural Development Fund (CDF): The Art of Play: Integrating Culture into Learning Environments, 22/07, 11:00-13:00 This panel explores how integrating culture, arts, and heritage into learning environments enhances education, fosters creativity, and supports lifelong learning. It examines the role of storytelling, play, digital tools, and cultural spaces in shaping skills, preserving heritage, and preparing future generations for creative industries and a knowledge-driven economy. Speakers: Dr. Mohammed Alhussein, CEO of Mozn AI Dr. Wafa Alsubail, Founder of Kan ya makan kids library Reem Busati (Moderator) Registration link: Sports For All Federation: Learning Through Play: The Success of Our Neighbourhood Clubs Initiative, 22/07, 16:00-18:00 The Sports for All Federation showcases its most impactful programs: The Neighborhood Clubs Initiative. This initiative was launched to make sports and physical activity more accessible to communities across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What began in a single neighborhood school has grown into a nationwide model that supports community engagement, inclusivity, and improved quality of life. The panel will highlight how the initiative has evolved into a scalable solution that encourages active living throughout the Kingdom. Speakers: Lama AlMuhana, Senior Manager Dalal AlShebaiky, Director Reem AlShalhoub, Specialist (Moderator) Registration link: Music Commission: AI & Creative Art 25/07, 11:00-13:00 MusiqAI is a leading digital platform that aligns well with the theme of "Learning and Playing" as it provides the opportunity to learn and develop musical skills in the era of AI. Some key takeaways that MusiqAI addresses are interactive lessons using advanced technologies, diverse course offerings, supporting professional music careers and a rich and diverse learning environment. Speakers: Manar Alhawiti, Lifelong Amateur Education Manager Saqer Alghuwainem, Virtual Academy/E-learning Manager Ahmed Karkanawi, (Moderator) Registration link: Over 150 business events will take place throughout the six-month Expo at the Pavilion's dedicated Collaboration Hub, providing a strategic platform for multilateral engagement. These business events will facilitate meaningful dialogue between stakeholders across key themes such as investment, sports, sustainability, and development, contributing to a shared vision for a better future. Each event is designed to bring together a wide spectrum of participants, from government representatives and business leaders. By offering a dedicated space for impactful engagement, these events enable stakeholders to forge global connections, positioning the Saudi Arabia Pavilion as a hub for international collaboration and innovation. All media are welcome and invited to join the Saudi Arabia Pavilion's Collaboration Hub to witness firsthand how strategic dialogue is shaping global partnerships at Expo 2025 Osaka. The Saudi Arabia Pavilion is driving impactful conversations and setting the stage for a more sustainable future. The full program of events for the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka on the official website: -Ends- Media Contact: Email： Media@ Website & Social Media Handles: Instagram: @ksaexpo2025 X: @KSAExpo2025_ YouTube: @KSAExpo2025 LinkedIn: Saudi Arabia at Expo Facebook: KSA Expo 2025 TikTok: @ksaexpo LINE: KSA 大阪万博2025 Website:
