Saudi Arabia Unveils HUMAIN to Spearhead AI Ambitions
The establishment of HUMAIN aligns with Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues. The kingdom has been actively investing in AI and digital technologies, with initiatives such as Project Transcendence—a $100 billion programme aimed at developing a robust AI ecosystem. This includes building state-of-the-art data centres, supporting startups, and expanding AI infrastructure to drive both domestic growth and international competitiveness.
In addition to HUMAIN, the PIF has formed strategic partnerships with major technology firms to bolster the kingdom's AI capabilities. A notable collaboration with Google Cloud involves establishing an advanced AI hub near Dammam, expected to contribute $71 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP over the next eight years. This partnership will also focus on developing Arabic-language AI models and providing AI training for millions of Saudi students and professionals.
The kingdom's commitment to AI extends to significant investments from global tech giants. Amazon Web Services plans to launch data centres in Saudi Arabia by 2026, investing over $5.3 billion. Microsoft has invested $2.1 billion in developing the kingdom's cloud infrastructure, while Oracle has announced a $1.5 billion investment to bolster its cloud capacity. Huawei has disclosed a $400 million investment aimed at establishing a cloud region in Saudi Arabia, contributing to its technological expansion.
See also Sotheby's Unveils $100 Million Diamond Exhibition in Abu Dhabi
These investments are part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, which focuses on diversifying the economy away from oil to technological and digital innovation. The plan seeks to attract foreign direct investment and position Saudi Arabia as a leader in technology and innovation. The establishment of HUMAIN and other AI initiatives underscores the kingdom's commitment to becoming a global hub for AI and data innovation.
The launch of HUMAIN coincides with a US-Saudi investment forum attended by tech leaders such as Elon Musk and Sam Altman, where significant deals across AI and defence are expected. This move follows growing Gulf state investments in AI to diversify economies away from oil dependency. The UAE and Qatar have also made strategic AI investments, including partnerships with leading US tech firms.
Despite recent conservative overseas spending due to domestic commitments and lower oil prices, AI remains a priority for Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pledged $600 billion in US investments over the next four years, signalling the kingdom's dedication to advancing its AI and technological capabilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sharjah 24
4 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
Sheraa unveils the 7th edition of Access Sharjah Challenge
With a total prize value of AED 500,000, the Access Sharjah Challenge is now open for applications from education-focused startups around the world that have validated prototypes and are looking to scale internationally. Applications will be accepted until August 17. The challenge is being held in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Sharjah Education Academy. The prize money will be divided equally between two winners, enabling them to test and implement their solutions at Alsedra Private School, Khalifah Al Hamzah American School, Pakistan Islamia Higher Secondary School and Al Badee Nursery. The upcoming edition, organized by Sheraa in collaboration with key implementation partners, the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA) invites leading global education startups at the Pre-Series A, Series A, B, and C+ stage to submit innovative solutions addressing two priority education challenges: Future-Ready Skills Challenge, which focuses on equipping students with foundational and digital skills to keep pace with a rapidly evolving world and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow and Arabic in Early Childhood Challenge, which emphasizes the importance of nurturing a sense of belonging to the Arabic language and embedding it as a core part of a child's identity from an early age. This collaborative approach ensures that all challenge statements reflect real-world needs and that submitted solutions are positioned for meaningful and scalable impact across Sharjah's education ecosystem. Sharjah leads the future of education Commenting on the launch, Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: We believe that meaningful innovation is defined by its ability to create real impact and expand access to learning. The Access Sharjah Challenge 2025 offers a dynamic platform where forward-thinking ideas converge with strategic ambition, enabling the transformation of promising concepts into scalable, real-world educational solutions. Through this initiative, we aim to enrich an already vibrant learning ecosystem, offering educators and students renewed opportunities to embrace tools and technologies that nurture lifelong learning and spark intellectual curiosity.' She added: 'Sharjah today stands out for its thriving educational ecosystem, backed by advanced digital infrastructure and strong collaboration between government and private sectors. This solid foundation positions the emirate as a leader in reimagining the future of education. The Access Sharjah Challenge is an open invitation to the world's most innovative education startups to help shape an inclusive, agile, and future-ready learning model, built from within a community that champions creativity and innovation.' Ali Al Hosani, Director General of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), emphasized the importance of the Authority's participation in the Sharjah Gateway Challenge. Through its presence, the Authority seeks to contribute to building an informed and empowered society grounded in knowledge and science. He noted that innovation is no longer an option; it has become the cornerstone of supporting sustainable development, shaping the future, and strengthening the country's competitive position on the global stage. He stressed that adopting innovative thinking mechanisms and providing a nurturing environment for talent are fundamental pillars in building a prosperous future for students. He said, "Through the educational brainstorming workshop, the Authority contributed to shaping the "Future-Ready Skills Challenge" as a key theme, driven by our belief in its role in leading a qualitative transformation in the education system." He expressed his pride in cooperating with Sheraa and the Sharjah Education Academy to launch this challenge, which represents an effective model for the integration of roles between educational institutions in the emirate. Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy, the Chancellor of Sharjah Education Academy, expressed: "We are proud to partner with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) through the 'Access Sharjah' Challenge by launching our unique challenge, 'Arabic Language in Early Childhood'. This collaboration demonstrates our collective dedication to fostering educational innovation and entrepreneurial solutions that restore the Arabic language as a vital component of children's lives, serving as a means of identity, culture, and belonging, rather than just a communication tool." She added: "At Sharjah Education Academy, we strive to reimagine the presence of the Arabic language in our children's lives by integrating it in fun and engaging ways into everyday learning activities. We are committed to empowering teachers, involving families, and designing stimulating learning environments that make Arabic a vibrant, meaningful experience rooted in belonging from the earliest years of a child's life. We hope this challenge inspires innovative ideas that strengthen Arabic language learning and deepen generational connections to it." Eligibility and program criteria ASC 2025 is open to global startups with a previous track record in working with corporate or government collaborations. Applicants must offer impact-driven, adaptable, and market-ready educational solutions aligned to the program's challenge statements. Startups should also demonstrate strong leadership, market traction with existing users, and a willingness to establish a local presence in Sharjah to scale their solutions regionally. From over 2,000 applications, 10 startups will be shortlisted through a rigorous two-stage selection process. The first, Criteria-Based Filtering, will assess alignment with challenge themes, market readiness, and scalability. The second, Interview-Based shortlisting, will evaluate the startup's fit for Sharjah's context, pilot readiness, and long-term potential. AED 500,000 prize and pathway to scale Following the selection of the top 10 startups, a dedicated 'Champions Training' program on August 20 will prepare implementation leads from partner organizations to effectively guide the Proof of Concept (PoC) phase. These champions will be trained in best practices for startup mentorship, PoC management, and adaptive troubleshooting, ensuring a smooth and impactful collaboration throughout the program. Participants will then undergo a tailored 'Startup Readiness Sprint' on August 27–28, designed to ensure alignment with the challenge. The program will focus on technical fit, pitch refinement, and collaboration readiness, equipping startups with a deep understanding of the challenge statements, partner expectations, and local market dynamics. The Startup Readiness Sprint concludes with a pitch to a judging panel comprising of the implementation partners, industry experts and key stakeholders; two winning startups will receive an equity-free grant of AED 250,000 each to pilot their solutions across schools and early childhood development centers in Sharjah. The pilot phase, starting on 22nd September 2025, will provide real-world testing environments, continuous support, and potential for long-term partnerships and scale. The program culminates in a showcase of pilot results at Sharjah International Summit on Improvement in Education on 14 – 15 February 2016, where winners will be announced.
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Campaign ME
Beyond the logo: The art of subtle brand integration
Tony Stark drives an Audi, but it doesn't feel like advertising, it feels like character development. The sleek, cutting-edge vehicles align perfectly with his tech-forward persona and affluent lifestyle. This is brand integration seamlessly woven into the narrative fabric that enhances rather than interrupts the storytelling experience. For us in MENA, with production values soaring and storytelling sophistication reaching new heights, the region's brand custodians and filmmakers have an opportunity to redefine how brands and narratives can work together. Brand integration does not have to be a compromise or a necessary evil; we can get creative and lead in authentic, culturally grounded brand storytelling. The question isn't whether brands should appear in Arabic films and television, but how they can appear in ways that feel meaningful and true to the stories being told. The answer lies in understanding brand integration not as advertising, but as another tool in the filmmaker's arsenal, one that can add layers of authenticity, cultural context, and character depth. To understand how brand integration can enhance rather than hinder storytelling, regional filmmakers need only look to successful international examples. Netflix's royal drama 'The Crown' features period-appropriate vehicles that serve multiple narrative functions. The cars communicate status, historical accuracy, and attention to detail. When Princess Margaret steps out of a Jaguar, it reinforces her royal status while maintaining historical authenticity. 'Crazy Rich Asians' strategic partnerships with luxury brands like Mercedes and high-end fashion houses were essential to depicting the extravagant world the story inhabits. The brands became part of the visual vocabulary expressing wealth and status. The 'James Bond' franchise's relationships with brands like Aston Martin and Omega create a luxury ecosystem that reinforces Bond's sophisticated persona while providing natural opportunities for product showcase. Arab societies have deep traditions around hospitality, family gatherings, and social rituals that provide natural environments for brand integration. Family meals and social gatherings offer authentic contexts where products can appear naturally while enhancing the story. Cities like Doha, Cairo, and Riyadh offer visually interesting backdrops that can naturally accommodate luxury brands, technology, and lifestyle products in ways that feel organic to contemporary Middle Eastern life while showcasing the region's modern sophistication. The art of strategic development We need to start involving brand specialists during script development to ensure organic story integration. This collaborative approach allows for meaningful partnerships rather than retroactive insertions. As part of this process, we should be implementing advanced data analytics to determine brand affinity with the cast, the storyline and the target markets. This will also allow us to develop detailed character profiles that include brand preferences as natural personality elements, adding depth and believability to character portrayals. This gives brand custodians the opportunity to design campaigns that span multiple episodes or scenes, creating sustained brand relationships that feel natural and unforced. Forward-thinking brands should invest in understanding narratives and characters, becoming genuine creative collaborators rather than mere sponsors, embracing regional values and traditions, and creating integration strategies that respect and celebrate local cultures. The power of multi-picture deals The most promising development in brand integration is the emergence of multi-picture deals between brands and production companies. Rather than negotiating individual placements for single projects, forward-thinking partners are developing slate-wide partnerships that offer numerous advantages. For producers, guaranteed funding across multiple projects provides budget security and creative freedom. Long-term partnerships allow for more sophisticated integration strategies that develop over time, while consistent brand relationships across projects create believable narrative universes. Single negotiations covering multiple projects also streamline business operations. Brands benefit from presence across multiple genres and storylines that reach diverse audience segments. These partnerships offer opportunities to show different facets of brand personality across various narrative contexts while spreading investment across multiple projects to reduce individual project risk. If brands can build lasting relationships with producers for multi-picture, ongoing collaborations, this will benefit all parties involved. Success metrics beyond visibility Measuring brand integration success requires metrics that go beyond traditional advertising. Social media conversations about brand-character associations, viewer retention during integrated scenes, and positive sentiment analysis in audience discussions provide crucial audience engagement insights. Critics' assessments of integration authenticity, awards recognition for overall production quality, and international distribution success influenced by production values offer valuable narrative impact measurements. Local audience acceptance and cultural approval, media coverage focusing on authentic representation, and industry recognition for innovation in brand integration demonstrate cultural resonance. Portfolio-wide measurement should track brand equity growth across different audience segments over time, cross-project brand recognition and audience association strength, and market penetration expansion through diverse genre representation. Long-term partnership value creation and sustainability metrics become essential for multi-project collaborations. The future of brand storytelling When brands become genuine collaborators in the creative process and contribute to narrative authenticity, the entire ecosystem flourishes. Audiences receive richer, more realistic storytelling, filmmakers gain additional resources and creative possibilities, and brands achieve meaningful connection with engaged viewers. Our region has the opportunity to become a leader in thoughtful brand integration, not by copying approaches from other markets, but by developing methods that respect both artistic integrity and commercial objectives. Brands belong in our stories, but in ways that make those stories even more powerful, authentic, and engaging. The potential is huge, and the opportunity is now. By Hussein Fakhri – Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Producer at Katara Studios.
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Campaign ME
Powering deeper connections: Radio's role in the digital age
In an age defined by digital disruption, radio's remain a powerful and intimate medium. Its unique blend of immediacy, intimacy and cultural resonance continues to captivate audiences and offer brands a distinct platform for connection. From hyper-localised advertising strategies to the seamless integration of emerging technologies and content formats, Fouad Debouk, Audio Growth Senior Manager at MBC Media Solutions (MMS) explores how radio is not just keeping pace with change – it's helping shape the future of media engagement in a digital-first era. With a network spanning multiple stations and cities, how would you describe your overall listener base across Saudi Arabia? What key audience segments do you reach? MBC Group's listener base is exceptionally diverse, both demographically and geographically, reflecting the multifaceted nature of Saudi society. MBC FM primarily serves Saudi nationals across all age groups and from every province, truly representing the cultural and social fabric of the Kingdom. Panorama FM, meanwhile, connects strongly with the broader Arabic-speaking community, including audiences from the Levant, Egypt and North Africa. MBC Group's latest addition, LOUD FM, has quickly gained traction among English-speaking audiences, particularly resonating with Saudi youth – underscoring its commitment to innovation and evolving listener preferences. How do you work with agencies and planners to ensure that radio spots are culturally and contextually relevant – especially in markets such as KSA where nuance matters? We take pride in offering end-to-end creative production for all our radio clients – an approach that allows us to collaborate closely with agencies and planners from the earliest stages of ideation. Our in-house copywriting and production teams are deeply attuned to local culture, dialects and evolving audience expectations, ensuring every radio spot lands with authenticity and precision. In a market such as Saudi Arabia, where cultural awareness isn't just appreciated but expected, we focus on creating contextually rich storytelling that reflects regional values, humour and behavioural trends. We also leverage data-driven insights to inform everything from tone and timing to platform selection, aligning creatives with listener habits and daily media rhythms. Additionally, we stay ahead of shifting media trends by integrating formats such as interactive radio spots, real-time triggers and geo-personalised messaging – ensuring relevance in both content and context. This holistic, insight-led approach helps us deliver culturally aligned radio campaigns that not only support brand narratives but also foster deeper, more meaningful audience engagement. With the media mix shifting toward digital and on-demand platforms, how is radio repositioning itself within the broader advertising and content landscape? Radio is evolving into a dynamic, integrated content platform. We're actively bridging the gap between linear radio and digital engagement by investing in hybrid formats, interactive segments and on-demand content. This transformation enables us to remain top-of-mind for both listeners and advertisers, providing real-time reach with measurable impact – something few mediums can deliver with such immediacy and intimacy. How are you changing your approach to audience measurement, given the increasing need for granular, data-driven insights to attract advertisers? We are enhancing our audience analytics by incorporating more sophisticated data tools and third-party measurement solutions. Our goal is to provide advertisers with deeper insights into listener behaviours, preferences and engagement patterns – allowing for more targeted and effective campaign planning. These insights are increasingly valuable in demonstrating radio's return on investment (ROI) in a highly competitive media environment. What advertising categories are most active across your network, and are you seeing differences in brand demand by region or sector? Our advertising portfolio is remarkably broad, spanning quick-service restaurants (QSRs), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), education, technology and hyperlocal businesses such as restaurants and aggregators. Notably, we're seeing a significant uptick in interest from international brands – largely driven by the success of recent high-performing campaigns. This reflects growing confidence in our platforms' ability to deliver measurable brand lift and localised impact at scale. Can you share an example of a recent brand campaign that really succeeded across your network – and what made it work? A standout example is Starbucks' recent promotional campaign on our network, which offered free coffee to anyone with a car plate containing the number 7. The activation resonated strongly with our audience, went viral across platforms and delivered exceptional footfall and brand visibility. The success underscores radio's enduring power – not just as a legacy medium, but as a vibrant, high-engagement channel for innovative brand storytelling. What are some promising technologies or formats that you see reshaping the radio experience in the region? What content formats are driving the strongest engagement right now? We're witnessing a surge in demand for spotlight formats and segment-based content, particularly in entertainment and sports. Shows such as Dawreena on MBC FM continue to dominate listenership, affirming their influence. Sports, especially football, is proving to be a major growth area. We're actively exploring ways to scale this across all our stations. In terms of technology, we're integrating more interactive and data-driven tools that will allow for better personalisation, greater interactivity and seamless cross-platform engagement. By Fouad Debouk, Audio Growth Senior Manager at MBC Media Solutions (MMS).
