JEDDAH: For some people in Saudi Arabia, an animal is a very profitable item, and the less they spend on it, the more they profit. This translates into a miserable existence for the animals, which are often kept in cramped filthy cages too small for them to stand or turn around in. They receive no veterinary care, very little to eat and drink, and spend weeks, if not months, in chains.
And when their soul eventually departs their body, they are tossed in the trash with the rest of the garbage — and the only sorrow caused by their passing is their owner’s regret at the few hundred riyals lost.
Female baboons are separated from their babies by hunters in the mountains of Taif; dogs are stolen from their owners in Obhur and female German Shepherd dogs are kept in a specially-made cage which forces their rear ends into a position that allows her to be easily mounted and impregnated by a male dog.
All this and much more cruelty takes place before these creatures even reach the animal markets.
The Pigeon Souk of Jeddah is where these animals are all sold despite Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Jeddah Municipality bans being in place. It is a dirty and dusty place where the corpses of birds and other animals are strewn around, and where a dry and dusty water bowl sits next to a pair of thirsty puppies sharing a bird cage.
“The condition and treatment of the animals being sold at the animal souk is miserable and inhumane to say the least,” said Sonja Svensek, founder of Pets in Need, a Jeddah-based online platform that connects thousands of like-minded people in order to help animals in need.
“Animals are kept in small dirty cages, some without food or water. Some are chained, and the majority are in questionable health. For any animal lover, it is heartbreaking to witness the state of the animals being kept and treated there.”
Arab News visited the souk, located in Jeddah’s Khomra District, and found kittens, cats and dogs openly available for sale despite a Municipality ban on trading in anything but birds at the Pigeon Souk.
One man was selling a mother cat and her kittens. “You can have them all for SR1,100,” he told Arab News. “Or SR200 for each kitten, or SR700 for the mother.” When asked why the mother was three times the price, he said that she could make babies and those could be sold.
A few meters away, in the farthest corner of the marketplace from the parking area, were two small dogs, less than a year old, looking frightened. The man selling them said they were from France. One had a pink collar and their claws were trimmed as if recently manicured.
It seemed likely the dogs had been stolen.
“Chances were that if your dog went missing or was stolen, it would end up at that market”, Svensek said. “Out of every 10 cases of missing dogs, about six are eventually found on sale there. We see this from the posts of desperate pet owners who have lost their pet, only to find it at the souk days, or sometimes weeks, later.”
A similar problem exists at the animal souk in Riyadh, according to Dr. Lana Dunn, a volunteer at Open Paws of Riyadh, a group of Saudis and expatriates who work to reduce the number of homeless pets, control stray cat populations and help animals in need of rescue.
The issue, Dunn said, is that the Municipality controls the pet stores, animal souks and stray animal populations, but is not in charge of the condition of the animals on sale. The Municipality says that is the responsibility of the animal welfare department of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. But the Ministry says it has no authority over areas that the Municipality is in charge of. And that is how animal welfare falls through the cracks.
“The Riyadh animal souk is a health hazard to people as well as to the animals. It’s an embarrassment to the country in the eyes of visitors, and it’s also a bad example considering Islam’s obligations to care for God’s creatures,” Dunn said. “I have nothing good to say about it. I’m dumbfounded that it is allowed to go on.”
Arab News called and messaged Jeddah Municipality and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for comment, but did not receive a timely response.
Despicable treatment of animals in KSA: Who is to blame?
Despicable treatment of animals in KSA: Who is to blame?

How AI could make Saudi Arabia’s construction sites safer and more efficient
- Construction remains one of the most dangerous and under-digitized industries, prompting a growing demand for real-time safety solutions
- AI-driven tools are increasingly viewed not as job threats but as vital safeguards enhancing judgment, oversight, and worker protection
RIYADH: Across the global construction sector, long considered one of the most resistant to digitization, a quiet revolution is unfolding.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a mere buzzword confined to laboratories and boardrooms. It is increasingly present in the urban fabric, embedded into scaffolding, concrete and command centers.
One company at the heart of this shift is viAct, a Hong Kong-based AI firm co-founded by Gary Ng and Hugo Cheuk. Their aim is to make construction safer, smarter and significantly more productive using a scenario-based AI engine built for complex, high-risk environments.
“Despite being one of the most labor-intensive and hazardous industries, construction remains vastly under-digitized,” Ng told Arab News. “We saw this as an opportunity to bring AI-driven automation and insights to frontline operations.”
Unlike conventional surveillance tools that simply record footage, viAct’s platform acts like a digital foreman. It interprets real-time visual data to detect unsafe practices, productivity gaps and anomalies, all without human supervision.
At the core of the platform are intelligent video analytics powered by edge computing. By processing visuals from jobsite cameras and sensors, viAct can flag whether a worker has entered a restricted zone, whether proper personal protective equipment is being worn, or if a crane is operating unsafely.
“This is not just about object detection,” said Ng. “Our AI understands context. It recognizes behaviors — like a worker being too close to the edge without a harness or a truck reversing unsafely — and acts in real time.”
That ability to contextualize data is crucial in megaprojects, where risks multiply with size.
The firm’s technology has already been deployed across East Asia and parts of Europe. Now, the company is eyeing Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region, where giga-projects are transforming skylines at record speed.
Ng confirmed viAct is in active discussions to enter the Saudi market.
“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is deeply aligned with our mission,” he said. “There’s a growing demand for AI in infrastructure — not just for safety, but also for efficiency, environmental compliance, and transparency.”
From NEOM and The Line to Qiddiya and Diriyah Gate, Saudi Arabia is leading one of the most ambitious construction booms in the world. These projects involve thousands of workers, advanced logistics and constant oversight.
However, traditional safety audits and manual inspections are no longer sufficient. “With projects of this scale, real-time monitoring is not a luxury — it’s a necessity,” said Ng.
While viAct hasn’t yet launched in the Kingdom, its platform is fully prepared for Arabic localization and regional compliance standards, including Saudi labor laws and Gulf Cooperation Council safety codes.
What sets viAct apart is how seamlessly it integrates with existing infrastructure. Rather than requiring expensive proprietary equipment, the platform works with standard CCTV cameras and can be deployed in both urban and remote sites.
“Our system is plug-and-play,” said Ng. “You don’t need to overhaul your entire setup to use AI. That makes it ideal for companies in transition or for phased construction timelines.”
Its use of edge AI, meaning data is processed on site rather than in a distant cloud, allows viAct to deliver insights even in areas with weak internet connectivity. This feature is particularly useful in Saudi Arabia’s more isolated development zones or early-phase sites with minimal setup.
Its software is also highly customizable. For instance, a client building a hospital might prioritize fall detection and material delays, while a contractor working on an airport runway may need to monitor large machinery and perimeter access.
As automation reshapes industries, many worry that people are being replaced by machines. But Ng insists that viAct’s goal is not to eliminate workers — it is to protect them.
“We’re not building robots to take over,” he said. “We’re building tools that enhance human judgment and ensure safety. When a worker is alerted to a risk before an accident occurs, that’s AI doing its best job.”
In fact, many of viAct’s clients report that once site workers understand the system is not spying on them, but rather observing unsafe situations, adoption becomes smoother. Managers gain better oversight and laborers gain peace of mind.
“We see this as a collaboration between human intelligence and artificial intelligence,” Ng said. “Each has strengths. Together, they’re far more effective.”
Deploying AI in construction also brings ethical questions to the forefront, particularly in projects run by government entities or involving public infrastructure. Ng is upfront about these concerns.
“All our solutions are GDPR-compliant and privacy-first,” he said, referring to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, a comprehensive set of rules designed to protect the personal data of individuals.
“We don’t use facial recognition and we don’t track individuals. The focus is purely on safety, compliance and productivity.”
Workers are anonymized in the system, with all data encrypted and stored securely. Dashboards used by contractors and project leads include logs, alerts and safety scores, allowing for clear documentation and accountability without compromising personal privacy.
This is especially important in the Gulf, where projects often involve multinational labor forces and cross-border stakeholders.
Looking ahead, viAct plans to double down on its expansion in the Middle East, continue advancing its AI models and advocate for ethical AI deployment in high-risk sectors.
The company is also exploring ways to integrate predictive analytics, allowing clients to foresee and prevent incidents before they occur. This could eventually shift AI’s role from reactive to proactive, forecasting safety breaches, delivery delays or environmental compliance issues in advance.
Ng believes this kind of intelligent foresight will soon become standard across the construction industry.
“It’s not about replacing humans,” he said. “It’s about building a smarter site, one where decisions are faster, risks are fewer, and lives are safer.”
In the age of giga-projects, that is a future Saudi Arabia is already building.

Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI

GENEVA: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held a series of high-level meetings during his official visit to Switzerland, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s global role in promoting inclusivity in the era of artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital economy development.
The minister met with UN International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two discussed the Kingdom’s longstanding partnership with the union spanning more than 76 years.
The minister also met with Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki, to expand partnership opportunities in the areas of digital governance, AI, and digital infrastructure.
PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia

- The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side’s London studio
RIYADH: PIF-backed Savvy Games Group has partnered with gaming service provider Side to open a physical studio in Riyadh later this year to further support Saudi Arabia’s growing gaming ecosystem.
The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side’s London studio.
Nika Nour, head of global business development at Savvy Games Group, told Arab News: “There is no better partner than people like Side who have actually opened offices in other regions of the world, not just in Western countries like Europe or North America.
“They have the experiences and the tools to actually increase services, to train up local talent, and enter communities and understand cultural nuances to forge partnerships, not just for the short term, but beyond 2030, and that’s why we’re very excited about this strategic initiative.”
This is a step in expanding Side’s global footprint to 20 studios across 14 countries, providing services that range from co-development, player support, quality assurance (QA), localization QA, and audio. Their work in Saudi Arabia will be a tailored approach to the country’s needs, initially by offering co-dev, localization and local audio recording services.
Jacob Madsen, London studio head and VP of EMEA at Side, told Arab News: “From a company point of view, we’re always looking to expand into new markets. We’re always looking to try and have a diverse workforce, so that was also something that was really interesting to me. Over the four months, we’ve been kind of developing a relationship between Side and Savvy.”
Savvy prides itself on its three pillars as a holdings entity at PIF: Investments in MMA games, efforts on e-sports, as noted regionally with the Esports World Cup, and most importantly, moving forward and progressing on Saudi’s national Vision 2030 initiative of gaming ecosystem development.
The studio will also aim to provide youth training programs and strengthen local institutions, including collaboration with local partners such as Full Sail University, to nurture homegrown talent in co-development, localization and QA.
“What we tend to do when we open up a studio is very much work with the local population,” Madsen explained. “We try to bring in as few seniors or employees of other studios and hire the men and women of the country that we’re in. We are talking to Savvy about how we can connect to any existing university or training programs, whether we can bring down some of our experts — but we will also very much be training the people that we hire for the services that we’ll be providing.”
Savvy Academy, the company’s flagship initiative, focuses on incubation, acceleration and training with university relationships. They have also been collaborating with the International Game Developers Association’s Riyadh chapter, which has a talent pool of more than 200 individuals in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh.
“We have great relationships with universities that we plan on imploring, working with, to bring these experts not only to the classrooms, but also figure out how we get them from graduation into professional careers,” Nour said.
The studio is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Saudi Arabia to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October

- Aim of the event is to boost transformation of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector and enhance its position as a global hub for health innovation and investment
RIYADH: The eighth annual Global Health Exhibition will take place from Oct. 27 to 30 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.
The aim of the event, the theme for which is “Invest in Health,” is to help accelerate the transformation of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector in line with the goals of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency reported, while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for health innovation and investment.
The four-day exhibition will give health sector leaders, investors and innovators from around the world the chance to explore partnership and investment opportunities, and showcase the latest advances in healthcare technology, including developments in telemedicine, digital health and preventative care.
Organizers hope this year’s event will further boost momentum in the rapidly evolving Saudi health sector, building on the success of last year’s exhibition that attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 80 countries, who signed deals worth more than SR50 billion ($13.3 billion).
The event also reflects the Kingdom’s growing influence on the global health stage, according to organizers. Recent Saudi initiatives such as the National Biotechnology Strategy and the hosting of high-profile international gatherings — including the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in November 2024, and the upcoming 2nd annual CPHI Middle East pharmaceutical expo scheduled for December — highlight the nation’s commitment to shaping the future of healthcare, they said.
The exhibition aims to serve as a key platform for fostering collaborations and driving investment in technologies and initiatives that support healthier, more sustainable communities across the region and beyond, the organizers added.
Saudi Arabia to introduce AI education at all grade levels starting this year

- Students will learn to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary and high schools, and continuing through university studies
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will integrate artificial intelligence education throughout the country’s public school system beginning in the coming academic year.
The introduction of this nationwide AI curriculum will support the Kingdom’s Human Capability Development Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, which is designed to create a comprehensive education system that strengthens core values and boosts the nation’s global competitiveness and AI leadership.
Students will learn how to develop innovative technology solutions, beginning in elementary school and continuing through secondary education, university studies, technical training and lifelong-learning programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The curriculum unveiled by the National Curriculum Center, with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, features age-appropriate AI modules in the form of interactive and hands-on teaching. They are designed to connect between grade levels to ensure progressive development of skills and comprehensive student-evaluation systems.
It follows the announcement by the SDAIA in April, during the Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh, of an “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course for third-year high school students in the general track, in collaboration with the Curriculum Center and the Education Ministry.
This introductory course will serve as the initial phase of the curriculum development and establish the groundwork for the incorporation of AI concepts throughout academic programs, the Saudi Press Agency added.