logo
A Saudi platform powered by AI to serve pilgrims

A Saudi platform powered by AI to serve pilgrims

Saudi Gazette08-06-2025
Saudi Gazette report
MAKKAH — The Saudi Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Public Security, and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) launched a smart platform powered by artificial intelligence.
The platform represents a qualitative leap in integrating modern monitoring and reconnaissance technologies to support decision-makers in managing crowds and ensuring the safety of pilgrims. It relies on advanced technologies that combine remote sensing and geographic information systems to analyze satellite images with high accuracy.
The smart platform represents an ambitious model for digital transformation within the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and embodies Saudi Arabia's commitment to employing the latest global technologies to serve the guests of God and ensure their security in the holy sites.
It also contributes to raising the efficiency of security surveillance and survey technologies and improving field response by providing relevant authorities with comprehensive statistics and data. It also offers mechanisms for monitoring changes in surface temperatures, particularly in heat islands, in addition to detecting irregular patterns.
The platform displays statistics and comparisons between data from the current season and previous seasons, contributing to future planning and the development of services provided to pilgrims and Umrah performers. Many security sectors affiliated with the General Directorate of Public Security benefit from the platform's services, across various vital sectors, during the Hajj season. This enhances coordination between various government agencies and supports an integrated response to potential challenges.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How Saudi Arabia is using innovation, research, and regulation to turn waste into a circular economy success
How Saudi Arabia is using innovation, research, and regulation to turn waste into a circular economy success

Arab News

time2 days ago

  • Arab News

How Saudi Arabia is using innovation, research, and regulation to turn waste into a circular economy success

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia accelerates toward a circular economy under Vision 2030, experts say universities, research institutions, and business leaders are playing a crucial role in developing innovative waste management solutions that align with national sustainability goals. In early 2024, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced a waste management plan aiming to recycle up to 95 percent of waste and add SR120 billion ($31.99 billion) to the Kingdom's gross domestic product. Saudi Arabia generates more than 110 million tons of waste each year, much of it originating from cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Its waste management market is projected to grow from $5.97 billion in 2025 to $8.72 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence. To meet this challenge, academic partnerships, regulatory reforms and emerging technologies are coming together to reshape the sector, Sultan Al-Muaythir, chairman of the civil engineering department at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, told Arab News. Forming knowledge-sharing agreements with leading countries in waste management, he said, is a strategic step toward building a sustainable, locally adapted system that draws on global best practices and aligns with Saudi Arabia's circular economy ambitions. To drive innovation in the sector, Al-Muaythir emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary support. Fields like civil engineering, landfill and waste management, geotechnical engineering, and soil sciences all contribute to the design and development of critical infrastructure. Mechanical engineering plays a key role in advancing collection and treatment equipment, while chemical, agricultural and biotechnology engineering disciplines help analyze waste composition and develop transformation processes. Electrical engineering, he added, is essential for operating smart systems and managing energy generated through treatment. Al-Muaythir also pointed to the Kingdom's updated regulatory landscape, particularly the introduction of the Waste Management Law and its executive regulations, as a strong foundation for encouraging innovation and investment in sustainable practices. He explained that the next phase calls for faster plan implementation, broader international research collaboration and direct incentives for advanced processing technologies — steps that would speed up the Kingdom's progress toward its environmental and development goals. While government action is essential, Al-Muaythir said innovation in waste management is not a luxury, but a necessity for building a clean environment and a functioning circular economy. He added that individual responsibility plays an equally important role. 'Adopting conscious behaviors towards waste and committing to sorting and reuse/recycling constitute the first building blocks in creating a more sustainable future,' he said. Expanding on this vision, Abdullah Alakel, chairman of the Saudi Scientific Research and Innovation Association, said waste management innovation is a cornerstone of Vision 2030's broader goal to build a circular and sustainable economy. He told Arab News that scientific research is a key driver in tackling environmental challenges — from recycling and waste-to-energy technologies to the use of artificial intelligence to improve sorting and collection processes — ultimately boosting operational efficiency and reducing environmental harm. To support this ecosystem, the association provides business incubators and innovation accelerators, offering technical and financial assistance. It also facilitates connections between researchers, donors and investors to help turn ideas into market-ready solutions. Alakel noted that several joint initiatives with academic and industrial partners are already underway, including efforts to convert organic waste into economic products such as fertilizers and biofuels. DID YOU KNOW? • Saudi Arabia aims to recycle up to 95 percent of its waste by 2040. Waste management sector is projected to contribute $32bn to GDP by 2040. • Half of the Kingdom's waste comes from Riyadh (21 percent), Jeddah (14 percent) and Dammam (8 percent). (Sources: Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Waste Management) Other projects aim to develop scalable recycling technologies and improve overall waste management efficiency. Beyond research, the association works to foster a culture of sustainability across society. Alakel said it organizes public awareness campaigns, educational workshops in schools and universities, and national competitions that encourage creative, environmentally responsible solutions. He added that the association plays a critical role in bridging academia and implementation by hosting scientific conferences, building strategic partnerships and supporting national innovation deployment in alignment with Vision 2030's environmental goals. Farah Al-Gharib, CEO of Precision & Choice Environmental Solutions, echoed those views, underscoring the opportunity to enhance coordination between stakeholders as Saudi Arabia moves toward a circular economy. She told Arab News that aligning regulations, expanding infrastructure for sorting and collection, and stimulating private investment remain key challenges. Raising public awareness and promoting innovation are also essential to achieving sector-wide transformation. To accelerate progress, Al-Gharib called for a more integrated and flexible system that encourages public-private partnerships. Activating source-level sorting and offering financial incentives to investors, she said, would help drive growth in the sector. Clear metrics, such as waste reduction, cost savings and job creation, should be used to measure success. Looking ahead, she expects more companies to invest in smart technologies and expand their collection and treatment networks. Seamless integration across the entire waste value chain — from source to processing and redistribution — is essential, she said, to avoid bottlenecks and uphold the core principles of the circular economy. 'Based on our experience in the sector, we believe that unifying and updating regulations under a single, clear, and transparent regulatory framework would directly contribute to attracting investors, reducing the complexity of procedures and the classification of recyclable products, thereby accelerating regulatory processes and stimulating production,' said Al-Gharib. She concluded that clear legislation and coordinated responsibilities across authorities are key to scaling up circular economy initiatives effectively and sustainably.

Saudi Arabia tops global ICT Development Index for 2025
Saudi Arabia tops global ICT Development Index for 2025

Saudi Gazette

time2 days ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Saudi Arabia tops global ICT Development Index for 2025

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has secured the top global ranking in the 2025 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT Development Index, which assesses the digital progress of 164 countries across universal and effective connectivity. The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) confirmed the Kingdom's leading position, crediting it to sustained national efforts in strengthening competitiveness and driving sustainable growth in the ICT sector. The CST highlighted that Saudi Arabia's advanced digital infrastructure has been instrumental in enabling the expansion of its digital economy, which reached SR459 billion in 2024, contributing 15% to the gross domestic product (GDP). The Kingdom's ICT market, valued at SR180 billion in 2024, is the largest and fastest growing in the Middle East and North Africa. The country also recorded a mobile subscription penetration rate of 212% and monthly data usage per user three times higher than the global average.

Number of Sakani platform users exceeds 4.6 million by first half of 2025
Number of Sakani platform users exceeds 4.6 million by first half of 2025

Saudi Gazette

time4 days ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Number of Sakani platform users exceeds 4.6 million by first half of 2025

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Sakani platform has recorded significant growth in its efforts to provide diverse housing and financing options and solutions that meet the diverse needs of beneficiaries, including families and individuals, to own suitable housing. The number of platform users has exceeded 4.6 million by the first half of this year, indicating the expansion of Sakani services to include broader segments of citizens and residents. The Sakani program explained that during the first half of 2025, more than 106000 housing contracts were concluded through the platform. During the same period, the platform received more than 160 million digital visits. The number of people served during this period exceeded 275000, and more than 200,000 new users were registered, reflecting the increased demand for digital services and the reliability of the platform. Sakani continues to empower users by offering diverse housing options and multiple financing solutions in partnership with banks, financing companies, and real estate developers, enhancing the flexibility of available options. Sakani is the largest real estate platform in Saudi Arabia, offering a variety of options including under-construction units, ready-to-move-in units, self-build options, and land. Users can also browse residential projects and suburbs in various areas featuring integrated facilities and services, providing a comprehensive housing experience. In addition, exclusive offers are provided to registered users. Sakani relies on artificial intelligence technologies to enhance the user experience, while promoting the concepts of neighborliness and social solidarity through the "Seventh Neighbor" service. To benefit from the Sakani platform's services, download the app via the link: ( contact the unified number 199090, or visit Sakani comprehensive centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, and Al-Khobar.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store