Global Content Creators Meet in AlUla for MENA's First Instagram Creators Summit
Organized by Meta, the event showcases Meta AI and the latest digital platform tools, offering participants opportunities to connect with industry experts and developers.
It also underscores AlUla's vision to bridge cultural heritage preservation and digital development through sessions exploring storytelling, community empowerment, and how content creators help shape identity in the age of AI.
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Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Ericsson to scale up graduate hiring, internships in Saudi Arabia, senior official reveals
RIYADH: Telecoms firm Ericsson is expanding its graduate hiring and internship programs in Saudi Arabia as it seeks to strengthen its regional footprint, a senior executive told Arab News. In an interview on the sidelines of the inauguration of the company's regional headquarters in Riyadh, Patrick Johansson, president and head of market area Europe, Middle East and Africa at Ericsson, said the Swedish firm is deepening its collaboration with Saudi universities and expanding hands-on training opportunities. The Swedish company officially unveiled its new office in the presence of Haytham Al-Ohali, vice minister at Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Al-Dubaikhi, assistant minister at the Ministry of Investment, and Petra Menander, Swedish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. This move aligns with Saudi Arabia's Regional Headquarters Program, which aims to attract multinational companies to establish their Middle East and North Africa bases in the Kingdom by offering tax incentives, regulatory support, and preferential government contracting. Global firms such as PepsiCo, Siemens, and Unilever have already set up offices in Riyadh, supporting the Vision 2030 goal of making Saudi Arabia a regional hub for innovation and decision-making. Reflecting on Ericsson's goal to develop a local workforce, Johansson said: 'The joint collaboration with universities and bringing on new graduate students and training them on the ground has been part from the very beginning.' He added: 'Now we're expanding that even greater while having the regional headquarters here, so it is about bringing even broader numbers of students doing internships.' Emphasizing collaboration, talent development, and fifth-generation network leadership, Ericsson highlighted the importance of cross-sector partnerships and technological progress in building an inclusive digital infrastructure for Saudi Arabia and the broader region. As part of its long-term commitment to local talent development, Ericsson has been running the Gen-E graduate program at the 5G Innovation Hub in Riyadh since 2018. The initiative has trained more than 190 Saudi graduates from both local and international universities, with women making up 50 percent of the participants. The program includes technical workshops and hands-on training in Ericsson's tools and methodologies, led by subject matter experts and the company's Saudi leadership. It has contributed to the development of a range of 5G and Internet of Things applications in areas such as robotics, edge computing, and mixed reality — aligning with the Kingdom's broader digital transformation agenda. Ericsson is scaling up its talent development efforts, which now include broader engagement with students across the region. 'It is about bringing even broader numbers of students doing internships, but also the graduate programs as part of the activities here in Saudi Arabia,' Johansson said. He noted that Saudi Arabia's rapid digital evolution under Vision 2030 is providing fertile ground for innovation and cross-sector collaboration, saying it has taken 'an exponential leap. The Ericsson official added: 'And of course, we're leveraging our technology… also working across with academia, and then also into new areas, which is part of the vision.' The company's partnerships with major Saudi telecom operators remain central to its operations. 'We're working mainly with the two big operators — with stc and with Mobily — and again, it is about providing the connectivity that builds beyond.' He also highlighted that the move to establish its base in the Kingdom was a 'very simple choice to make.' Johansson pointed to new initiatives extending beyond traditional connectivity. 'It's also about introducing new ways of having technology for good,' he said, referring to the Connected Recycling platform project launched with stc's IoT subsidiary in February, aimed at improving the efficiency and impact of recycling through digital tools. Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of ecosystem-driven progress, stating: 'We put the foundation here by opening our real headquarters, but then it's what we do and achieve together … because it is all about the ecosystem.' The inauguration event included discussions on the evolution of network technologies, the roadmap to sixth-generation connectivity, and the role of Vision 2030 in guiding long-term innovation strategies, according to a press release.
Leaders
2 days ago
- Leaders
'Redrawing the Boundaries' Exhibition Explores Gulf's Modern Art Evolution
Hayy Jameel in Jeddah hosts the 'Redrawing the Boundaries' exhibition to offer a deep look at the evolution of modern art in the Gulf region, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Set to run until October 13, 2025, the exhibition explores 20th-century artistic movements and the artistic scene in the Kingdom. The event also features an in-depth artistic research vision on the emergence of modern art movements in the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. Crucially, the exhibition focuses on the intersection between the artistic practices and the foundational stages of building the state. This dialectical interaction between tradition and modernity has crystalized a unique artistic vocabulary that inspired several stunning artworks. Such artworks have laid the foundations of modernity, played a pivotal role in building cultural institutions, and strengthened the local artistic movement. Furthermore, 'Redrawing the Boundaries' features more than 50 artists who left unforgettable influence on modern artistic currents in the Gulf. It highlights their contributions to the cultural movement and the establishment of sustainable artistic and societal structures across the Arabian Peninsula. Related Topics: Saudi Arabia to Host Fashion, Textile Exhibition in Jeddah Saudi Arabia Joins Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions 2025 'On the Rail Road'..A festival of artistic and cultural heritage in Riyadh season Short link : Post Views: 28
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Meta Spending Big on AI Talent but Will It Pay Off?
Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are spending billions of dollars for top talent to make up ground in the generative artificial intelligence race, sparking doubt about the wisdom of the spree. OpenAI boss Sam Altman recently lamented that Meta has offered $100 million bonuses to engineers who jump to Zuckerberg's ship, where hefty salaries await, reported AFP. A few OpenAI employees have reportedly taken Meta up on the offer, joining Scale AI founder and former chief executive Alexandr Wang at the Menlo Park-based tech titan. Meta paid more than $14 billion for a 49 percent stake in Scale AI in mid-June, bringing Wang on board as part of the deal. Scale AI labels data to better train AI models for businesses, governments and labs. "Meta has finalized our strategic partnership and investment in Scale AI," a Meta spokesperson told AFP. "As part of this, we will deepen the work we do together producing data for AI models and Alexandr Wang will join Meta to work on our superintelligence efforts." US media outlets have reported that Meta's recruitment effort has also targeted OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever; Google rival Perplexity AI, and hot AI video startup Runway. Meta chief Zuckerberg is reported to have sounded the charge himself due to worries Meta is lagging rivals in the generative AI race. The latest version of Meta AI model Llama finished behind its heavyweight rivals in code writing rankings at an LM Arena platform that lets users evaluate the technology. Meta is integrating recruits into a new team dedicated to developing "superintelligence," or AI that outperforms people when it comes to thinking and understanding. 'Mercenary' Tech blogger Zvi Moshowitz felt Zuckerberg had to do something about the situation, expecting Meta to succeed in attracting hot talent but questioning how well it will pay off. "There are some extreme downsides to going pure mercenary... and being a company with products no one wants to work on," Moshowitz told AFP. "I don't expect it to work, but I suppose Llama will suck less." While Meta's share price is nearing a new high with the overall value of the company approaching $2 trillion, some investors have started to worry. Institutional investors are concerned about how well Meta is managing its cash flow and reserves, according to Baird strategist Ted Mortonson. "Right now, there are no checks and balances" with Zuckerberg free to do as he wishes running Meta, Mortonson noted. The potential for Meta to cash in by using AI to rev its lucrative online advertising machine has strong appeal but "people have a real big concern about spending," said Mortonson. Meta executives have laid out a vision of using AI to streamline the ad process from easy creation to smarter targeting, bypassing creative agencies and providing a turnkey solution to brands. AI talent hires are a long-term investment unlikely to impact Meta's profitability in the immediate future, according to CFRA analyst Angelo Zino. "But still, you need those people on board now and to invest aggressively to be ready for that phase" of generative AI, Zino said. According to The New York Times, Zuckerberg is considering shifting away from Meta's Llama, perhaps even using competing AI models instead. Penn State University professor Mehmet Canayaz sees potential for Meta to succeed with AI agents tailored to specific tasks at its platform, not requiring the best large language model. "Even firms without the most advanced LLMs, like Meta, can succeed as long as their models perform well within their specific market segment," Canayaz said.
