Latest news with #localization
Zawya
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Zawya
Petromin and Foton to establish joint commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia - As part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ongoing efforts to strengthen its industrial sector and localize high-value manufacturing, Petromin Corporation, Foton, the Ministry of Investment, and the National Industrial Development Center signed a four-party memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the establishment of an integrated commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia. The initiative aims to develop local capabilities in manufacturing and logistics, strengthen supply chains, and increase localization rates in the vehicle sector. The scope of production will include heavy-duty trucks, light-duty trucks, and buses. Amr Al-Dabbagh, Chairman and CEO of Al-Dabbagh Group, commented: "This step aligns with our ambitions to promote a diversified economy based on industry and technology. We take pride in this partnership with Foton, who are number 1 in the Chinese commercial vehicle market. This partnership acts as a strong catalyst to deliver high-quality commercial vehicles that meet market expectations and support achieving Vision 2030 objectives." Chang Rui, Chairman of BAIC Foton, added: "We are proud of our partnership with Petromin to localize commercial vehicle manufacturing. Through this collaboration, we aim to transfer advanced technology to the Saudi market and provide innovative and sustainable mobility solutions benefiting businesses and consumers alike." The project is backed by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Investment, the National Industrial Development Center, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, and the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority. It is expected to create job opportunities for national talent, support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and contribute to the Kingdom's shift toward a sustainable, advanced industrial economy. With its rich history and expertise in the automotive industry, Petromin is a leading provider of comprehensive automotive solutions in the Middle East. The company is committed to fostering innovation within the community and ensuring customer satisfaction through high-quality products and services. Foton, the number 1 commercial vehicle manufacturer in China, has established a global presence in the industry. It focuses on producing high-quality commercial vehicles through strategic partnerships with leading industry manufacturers such as Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), ZF Transmission, Cummins Engines, and others. Its partnership with Petromin provides a unique opportunity to enhance its presence in the Saudi market, leveraging Petromin's local expertise and market presence. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Arab News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
How AI-powered voice tech is bringing Arabic-language content to global audiences
JEDDAH: Dubai-based artificial intelligence company is revolutionizing language localization by building advanced voice and translation models that preserve emotion, nuance and cultural context — especially in complex languages like Arabic. Through a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia's MBC Group, is scaling this technology across entertainment, education, and spiritual content — unlocking a new era of accessibility for Arabic media. 'At we have built translation and voice models that adapt to the nature of the desired language rather than merely mimicking the input,' Akshat Prakash, the company's chief technical officer and co-founder told Arab News. 'Whether it's the emotion in the voice or the way certain things are said in Arabic, we are dedicated to preserving nuances, emotions and prosody to deliver what we call a 'performance-to-performance' impact. 'We take content and deliver a fully packaged performance through our localization infrastructure built on top of our proprietary AI models — BOLI and MARS.' successfully generated multilingual commentary for an MLS NEXT Pro match using AI-driven real-time voice translation and dubbing technology. Its core capability lies in an AI dubbing platform that instantaneously translates live audio (such as play-by-play commentary) into multiple languages. The language generator preserves the original speaker's voice, tone and emotion — making it feel as if the original commentator is speaking the listener's native language. 'Solving live sports streaming first led us to create technology that could handle the hardest type of content,' said Prakash. 'Today, we livestream games in multiple languages alongside some of the biggest brands in the world — like Major League Soccer, Eurovision and the Australian Open. 'We can perform equally well on other types of content. For instance, we've translated complex performances such as the Nayla Al Khaja-directed psychological thriller, 'Three,' which was showcased at the Red Sea Film Festival.' The film was the first Arabic movie to be AI-dubbed into Mandarin Chinese and other complex languages, preserving nuances, context, and emotion while staying true to the director's original vision. Today, excels at delivering culturally and contextually sensitive adaptations of original performances — while maintaining realism — in over 150 languages. 'No technology on the market offers such diversity, realism, and public proof points of what AI can enable in hyper-realistic translation. We're proud to extend this work to every Arabic dialect — something no other technology has been able to do,' Prakash said. As global demand for non-English content continues to rise, IMAX is turning to AI to localize its original films and documentaries more efficiently. In partnership with it has delivered content in multiple languages, demonstrating the power of technology to translate complex, dramatic material. ' has consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible — creating AI that delivers real value in the form of revenue and cost efficiencies to global content owners and distributors,' said Prakash. 'We've learned that deploying AI requires a hand-in-hand partnership. It takes not only great technology but also great partners who are willing to explore the uncharted. MBC is exactly that kind of partner for us in MENA, establishing what is probably the biggest MediaXAI deal since Runway x Lionsgate.' Prakash explained that partnering with MBC Group was a natural decision due to its vast scale, diverse content library, and strong regional presence. More significantly, the collaboration was rooted in a shared set of values. This partnership goes beyond the Runway x Lionsgate deal and sets a new benchmark for how media and AI can collaborate. AI voice tech preserves tone, emotion and nuance, transforming how Arabic content is localized across 150+ languages. powers live sports translation for global events like MLS, Eurovision and the Australian Open — in real time. AI-dubbed Arabic thriller 'Three' debuted in Mandarin, highlighting CAMB. AI's ability to localize content without losing cultural depth. MBC Group and have also taken the lead in regional innovation. With projects like Stargate and HUMAIN, the Middle East and North Africa region is quickly becoming a global hub for powerful, homegrown AI. Prakash emphasized that has remained extremely conscious of privacy, data protection and respect for individual attributes. 'While regulatory frameworks are still developing, we have been self-regulating to respect individual rights and content ownership. We drive our business ethically,' he said. 'Our foundation is simple: Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.' With one of the most comprehensive Arabic content libraries in the world, MBC Group is uniquely positioned to support more advanced and accurate AI outcomes in this space. The emerging technology team at MBC, led by Fadel Zahreddine, is at the forefront of innovation, aligning perfectly with mission. 'Our content spans the full spectrum of Arab identity, from Gulf dialects to Levantine, North African, and everything in between, capturing not just language, but also tone, emotion and social nuance,' Zahreddine told Arab News. 'Through this collaboration with we see an opportunity to contribute data that is not only linguistically rich but also responsibly curated. Our multimodal archive, covering video, audio and text, offers a strong foundation for advanced AI applications that are more contextually aware and locally grounded.' As one of the region's largest content producers, MBC Group constantly explores new ways to strengthen connections between programming and global audiences. 'This includes expanding how our content is distributed across platforms like Shahid, satellite TV and digital services,' said Zahreddine. 'Enhancing localization is one layer of the broader effort to remove friction between content and audiences.' This collaboration between MBC Group and reflects a broader effort to explore how Arabic content can connect more meaningfully with non-native-speaking audiences. By moving beyond literal translation and toward context-sensitive localization, the partnership supports a more accurate and respectful representation of original creative work For Arabic creators and producers, this opens up the possibility of reaching wider audiences while maintaining the cultural authenticity that defines their storytelling. It is not about changing the content but about removing barriers that might limit how it is experienced in other cultural contexts. MBC Group approaches innovation through the same lens that has shaped its editorial philosophy for decades — grounded in cultural integrity, social responsibility, and a strong commitment to its audiences. 'We believe that technology and ethics are not separate conversations but (are) deeply connected — especially when building tools that shape how content is consumed and understood,' said Zahreddine. 'We have around 65 nationalities working at MBC. Our multicultural environment is reflected in the cultural sensitivity of our content production. 'Our extensive media library is developed (with) high ethical standards, avoiding obscene content, excessive violence or any form of hate speech. This discipline not only protects the integrity of our content but also makes it a reliable data foundation for engaging with AI and emerging technologies.' By sharing responsibly curated material, MBC Group contributes to the development of AI models that better reflect the ethical values embedded in its programming and are aligned with audience expectations. Zahreddine added: 'While AI continues to evolve rapidly, we believe it's essential that any advancement remains anchored in principles that respect culture, identity and shared community standards.'
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Kanoo Energy to showcase localization capabilities at the Saudi Industry Forum 2025
Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Kanoo Energy, a division of Kanoo Industrial & Energy, part of the Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Company Limited, has announced its participation in the upcoming Saudi Industry Forum 2025, to be held from June 23 to 25 at the Dhahran Convention and Exhibition Center, under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. As one of the Kingdom's foremost industrial gatherings, the Saudi Industry Forum is a key national platform for advancing industrial innovation and promoting in-Kingdom capabilities in line with the national industrial agenda of Vision 2030. The Forum will convene high-level leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers to explore strategic pathways across localization, digitalization, and sustainability. 'Our participation is a reflection of our alignment with the Kingdom's industrial ambitions, ' said Ali Abdulla Kanoo, Deputy Chairman, Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo KSA and Chairman Kanoo Industrial and Energy. ' We are proud to support national efforts to localize supply chains, digitize operations, and deliver long-term impact through industrial self-sufficiency.' Representing a legacy and presence of over a century in the Gulf, Kanoo Energy will showcase its fully integrated, in-Kingdom service model; including Height Safety Services, Process Solutions; featuring precision sampling systems from DOPAK and instrumentation from SICK; in-Kingdom manufacturing of Safety & Pressure Relief valves for high-integrity valve operations and Mechanical Services for pumps, including refurbishment, diagnostics, and performance testing. Furthermore, Kanoo's Electrical Diagnostic Solutions and Workshop Services, will be showcasing it's supporting, automation, retrofits, and in-field maintenance. Through Adage Kanoo Industrial Company (AKIC), gas analytics and industrial instrumentation will be showcased, offering manufacturing and calibration of analysers and monitoring systems. While Kanoo Environment & Sustainability Solutions (KESS) offers emission control, robotics, additive manufacturing, water treatment, and energy optimization programs tailored to the Kingdom's environmental goals. 'Everything we do is centred around delivering localized future ready solutions,' added Fahad Kanoo, Board Member, Kanoo Industrial & Energy. 'From developing Saudi talent to investing in in-Kingdom infrastructure, we're focused on building industrial strength from within.' With its robust footprint across the Kingdom, Kanoo Energy continues to invest in predictive maintenance tools, digital control systems, and lifecycle services, ensuring performance continuity and innovation at scale. 'The Saudi Industry Forum is an opportunity to demonstrate how Kanoo Energy is translating national strategy into action,' said Manoj Tripathy, CEO, Kanoo Industrial & Energy. 'We are building capabilities that enable industries to adapt faster, operate smarter, and grow more sustainably within the Kingdom.' As Saudi Arabia enters a new era of industrial transformation, Kanoo Energy remains a steadfast partner, offering globally benchmarked solutions delivered by local expertise, in service of a stronger, more self-reliant economy.
Argaam
6 days ago
- Business
- Argaam
EXPRO: O&M localization creates over 200,000 jobs
The Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) stated that it prioritized the localization of jobs in the facility management sector. In collaboration with several government entities, the authority contributed to the initiative of localizing operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts in public entities through employing more than 200,000 Saudi men and women. The authority highlighted its efforts in capacity building through training and development programs, with over 4,500 individuals trained since 2021. These efforts are further reinforced through promoting a culture of continuous improvement and professional development through the BUNA center", which operates under the initiatives of the Committee for the Localization of O&M Contracts in Public Entities. This announcement came as EXPRO received the Gold Award from the Global Facility Management (Global FM) in recognition of its achievements. According to Argaam data, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development released launched the second edition of its guide for localizing O&M contracts in public entities. The second edition included several updates, including an increase in the targeted localization rates for senior management positions from 50% to 100%. Localization targets for engineering and specialized roles increased from 30% to 40%, while supervisory roles require 100% localization.
Argaam
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Argaam
China's Foton mulls commercial vehicle plant in Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Investment signed a four-party memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Center, China's Foton Motor, and Petromin to explore the establishment of an integrated commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia. In a post on its official account on X, the ministry said the agreement aims to enhance the localization of vehicle manufacturing and to enhance local content in the sector.
