Latest news with #Tawakkalna
Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
How AI speech-to-text technology is tuning in to a digital Saudi Arabia
DHAHRAN: In a world racing toward automation, Klemen Simonic believes the most natural interface is also the most enduring: the human voice. As founder and CEO of Soniox — a cutting-edge speech-to-text platform — Simonic is betting that voice-powered technology will drive the next wave of digital innovation. And in a country like Saudi Arabia, where smartphones dominate daily life and a young population is hungry for digital solutions, the potential is hard to ignore. Soniox, which Simonic launched five years ago, offers speech recognition, transcription and real-time multilingual translation in more than 60 languages. Unlike many competitors, it delivers ultra-fast, token-level outputs in milliseconds — a critical advantage for live assistants, wearables, bots and smart speakers. But Simonic's journey toward building the company began long before the rise of generative AI. 'I started in programming development right after high school, and I was invited to join the Jozef Stefan Institute in Slovenia, one of the best institutes in this part of Europe,' he told Arab News. 'I was working there with Ph.D. students and postdocs on machine learning, natural language processing, dependency parsing, tokenization, tagging and entity extraction.' That early exposure led him to two internships at Stanford University in 2009 and 2011, where he worked alongside top researchers in AI. 'I wanted to join Google to work on these cool things,' he said. After an internship there in 2014, Simonic was courted by both Google and Facebook — ultimately joining the latter in 2015 to help build speech recognition systems now used across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Today, his company is focused entirely on voice AI, and its promise goes beyond convenience. With privacy and compliance built in — including SOC 2 Type II certification and HIPAA readiness — Soniox is already being used in hospitals, call centers and emergency rooms where clear, accurate transcription can be a life-saving tool. 'We have many healthcare customers using our API in emergency rooms where real-time AI interpretation can bridge communication gaps that human translators sometimes cannot, especially with complex medical terminology,' said Simonic. Saudi Arabia represents a particularly compelling market for the company's ambitions. With more than 90 percent smartphone penetration and a population where 70 percent of people are aged under 35, the Kingdom is fertile ground for voice-enabled technologies. The widespread adoption of government-developed platforms like Tawakkalna during the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated the Kingdom's reliance on mobile-first services. 'Data and artificial intelligence contribute to achieving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030; this is because, out of 96, 66 of the direct and indirect goals of the vision are related to data and AI,' according to the Saudi Data & AI Authority. The Kingdom's communications and IT sector is now worth more than $44 billion — 4.1 percent of gross domestic product — and expanding quickly with strategic investments in cloud computing, automation and smart infrastructure. Although Soniox does not yet have a team on the ground in the region, the company sees significant interest from Saudi organizations exploring AI-powered transcription and customer service tools. Simonic said there are pilot programs in countries like Portugal and interest from companies in Saudi Arabia looking to improve call center and transcription services. And while Arabic remains one of the more complex languages for voice AI, Simonic sees both the challenge and the opportunity. Many of Saudi Arabia's rural communities speak dialects rich in cultural nuance — languages that are often excluded from mainstream datasets. This environment offers fertile ground for Soniox's technology, which strives to 'enable all languages, so everyone in the world can speak and be understood by AI.' Simonic's team, primarily based in Slovenia, is committed to expanding language support to make the technology more inclusive, even in markets where none of the developers speak the local tongue. Soniox is also designed with flexibility in mind. Businesses can integrate its API without storing any audio or transcripts, ensuring tight data control. For individual users, features like encrypted transcripts and a summarizing tool enhance productivity — even for the tech-averse. 'My mom is not very tech-savvy, but she uses our app to build her grocery shopping list,' Simonic said. 'That was not the original purpose, but it shows how technology can evolve in ways we didn't expect.' In July, Soniox launched a new comparison tool that allows developers and businesses to benchmark different speech AI providers using their own voice samples and real-world data. It is another step toward transparency and broader adoption — especially in regions like the Gulf, where choosing the right solution can hinge on performance in diverse linguistic contexts. 'The tech morphs, but the human voice remains the most intimate and effective way we communicate,' Simonic said. As Saudi Arabia pushes forward with its digital transformation under Vision 2030, technologies like Soniox may find their voice amplified — not just as a tool for productivity, but also as a bridge between language, innovation and access in a rapidly changing world.
Gulf Insider
21-07-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia Shuts 267 Digital Platforms To Boost Unified Government Services
Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority (DGA) has announced the closure and integration of 267 digital platforms across various government sectors as part of ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and increase digital efficiency. The move reflects a broader commitment to improving the quality of government digital services and ensuring platform integration in line with Saudi Arabia's strategic digital transformation goals. According to a statement from the DGA, the closures come under a regulatory framework that includes new governance standards, the adoption of shared technical resources such as the National Single Sign-On system, e-payment gateways, and the Government Integration Channel. All platforms are also required to adhere to the unified design code known as the 'Platform Code,' enabling streamlined and effective digital services. The initiative is part of the 'Inclusive Government' program launched in 2022, which has reduced the number of government digital platforms from 817 to 550 as of the end of H1 2025. The program aims to optimize government resource usage and deliver more efficient and user-centered digital services, supporting the Kingdom's broader digital transformation and improving public satisfaction. The DGA emphasized the importance of collaboration among government entities in developing and managing domains and digital platforms. Central to the strategy is the national app 'Tawakkalna,' operated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is being positioned as the primary gateway for accessing unified government services. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to building an integrated digital ecosystem that enhances the performance of digital platforms and elevates the Kingdom's position in global digital government indicators.
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia shuts 267 digital platforms to boost unified government services
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority (DGA) has announced the closure and integration of 267 digital platforms across various government sectors as part of ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and increase digital efficiency. The move reflects a broader commitment to improving the quality of government digital services and ensuring platform integration in line with Saudi Arabia's strategic digital transformation goals. According to a statement from the DGA, the closures come under a regulatory framework that includes new governance standards, the adoption of shared technical resources such as the National Single Sign-On system, e-payment gateways, and the Government Integration Channel. All platforms are also required to adhere to the unified design code known as the 'Platform Code,' enabling streamlined and effective digital services. The initiative is part of the 'Inclusive Government' program launched in 2022, which has reduced the number of government digital platforms from 817 to 550 as of the end of H1 2025. The program aims to optimize government resource usage and deliver more efficient and user-centered digital services, supporting the Kingdom's broader digital transformation and improving public satisfaction. The DGA emphasized the importance of collaboration among government entities in developing and managing domains and digital platforms. Central to the strategy is the national app "Tawakkalna," operated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is being positioned as the primary gateway for accessing unified government services. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to building an integrated digital ecosystem that enhances the performance of digital platforms and elevates the Kingdom's position in global digital government indicators. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Saudi Gazette
21-07-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia shuts 267 digital platforms to boost unified government services
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority (DGA) has announced the closure and integration of 267 digital platforms across various government sectors as part of ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and increase digital efficiency. The move reflects a broader commitment to improving the quality of government digital services and ensuring platform integration in line with Saudi Arabia's strategic digital transformation goals. According to a statement from the DGA, the closures come under a regulatory framework that includes new governance standards, the adoption of shared technical resources such as the National Single Sign-On system, e-payment gateways, and the Government Integration Channel. All platforms are also required to adhere to the unified design code known as the 'Platform Code,' enabling streamlined and effective digital services. The initiative is part of the 'Inclusive Government' program launched in 2022, which has reduced the number of government digital platforms from 817 to 550 as of the end of H1 2025. The program aims to optimize government resource usage and deliver more efficient and user-centered digital services, supporting the Kingdom's broader digital transformation and improving public satisfaction. The DGA emphasized the importance of collaboration among government entities in developing and managing domains and digital platforms. Central to the strategy is the national app "Tawakkalna," operated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is being positioned as the primary gateway for accessing unified government services. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to building an integrated digital ecosystem that enhances the performance of digital platforms and elevates the Kingdom's position in global digital government indicators.
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-07-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Gulf States Accelerate Adoption of Unified Digital Government Platforms
Gulf governments are moving swiftly to leverage modern technology in reshaping citizen-government relations, with a strong push toward digital transformation and more efficient, user-centric public services. At the forefront of this shift are unified government applications that constitute comprehensive digital platforms that combine smart technology with seamless usability. According to a recent study by Strategy& Middle East, a member of the PwC network, these platforms are no longer optional but have become strategic necessities. The study, titled 'Unified Government Apps: Smart Choices for Services and Cost Control,' highlights that citizens and residents can now complete services such as issuing birth certificates, renewing business licenses, or applying for social support within minutes, without physically visiting a government office. Tawakkalna: A Saudi Model Saudi Arabia's Tawakkalna app, originally launched as a health tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, has since evolved into a comprehensive digital gateway offering over 1,100 government services. Dr. Esam Al-Wagait, Director of the National Information Center at the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), noted the Kingdom's aim to build a proactive digital government powered by AI. 'We are creating an integrated system that uses advanced technology to predict citizen needs and deliver personalized experiences aligned with smart and sustainable city goals,' he said. Engineer Saleh Mosaibah, Deputy Director of the National Information Center, added that unified platforms enhance inter-agency collaboration, reduce operational costs, strengthen cybersecurity, and boost Saudi Arabia's regional and global competitiveness. Challenges and Solutions Despite progress, the study noted operational and technical challenges remain, particularly around user expectations for faster, smoother service. Repeated logins and redundant data entry were identified as key obstacles. Engineer Hani Zein, Partner at Strategy& Middle East, stressed the need for seamless, single-entry platforms powered by artificial intelligence. 'Unified interfaces are the future. They improve service delivery, enhance quality of life, and align with Gulf digital transformation goals,' he said. Investment and Private Sector Integration Experts stress that building such applications requires significant investment in IT infrastructure, data integration, and cybersecurity. 'These are not just tech expenses, they are investments in smarter, more cost-efficient governance,' said Mosaibah. The private sector also presents growth opportunities. Licensed companies could offer services through government platforms for a fee, or strategic partnerships could bring in private funding and innovation without straining public budgets. Building a Sustainable Model To ensure sustainability, Zein recommends a three-pillar approach: an agile operational model inspired by startups, strong legal and financial frameworks, and robust risk management systems. These foundations, he said, enable governments to move quickly, innovate freely, and maintain public trust. With the right strategy, Zein and Mosaibah believe Saudi Arabia is well-positioned to set global standards for integrated digital government, offering a world-class experience for citizens and residents alike.
