How Saudi Arabia is preparing students for the high-tech AI jobs of the future

Infographic courtesy of KAUST
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Updated 09 August 2024
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How Saudi Arabia is preparing students for the high-tech AI jobs of the future

  • Training in high-demand skills will equip Saudi citizens for success in a tech-driven economy
  • KAUST is focused on upskilling undergraduate students to prepare them for future job markets

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s education sector is undergoing a strategic transformation as it shifts its focus toward specialized fields like artificial intelligence, robotics and nuclear energy.

Driven by the Vision 2030 economic diversification plan, this marks a decisive step in equipping the Kingdom’s future workforce with the high-demand skills needed to secure the jobs of tomorrow.

Mansoor Ahmed, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa region at Colliers, the Canada-based professional services and management company, says the shift towards AI and technology is creating new job opportunities and driving higher education reforms.

“Graduates with expertise in these areas will fill high-demand roles, helping to reduce youth unemployment,” Ahmed told Arab News.

Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence, launched in 2020, seeks to attract $20 billion in investments by 2030 and cultivate a workforce of 20,000 AI and data specialists.

Ahmed says the emergence of this highly skilled tech workforce will in turn help attract foreign investment, “positioning Saudi Arabia as a potential leader in innovation.”

AI could add more than $320 billion to the Middle East economy. A PWC analysis predicts Saudi Arabia is expected to have the largest gains in absolute terms, worth $135.2 billion, and the UAE will see the largest overall impact at 14 percent of its anticipated 2030 gross domestic product.

“The development of nuclear power plants and the integration of AI across various sectors will generate specialized roles in engineering, data analysis and machine learning,” said Ahmed. “This underscores the need to prioritize education in technology, AI, robotics and nuclear energy.”

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Saudi Arabia has affirmed its commitment to future tech by becoming a hub for global events and forums such as LEAP, the Global AI Summit, and the International Exhibition and Conference for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing.

However, if the Kingdom hopes to lead in these specialized fields, it must first close the gap between market demand and educational output.

A report produced by Colliers found the current enrollment distribution in the Kingdom’s public universities “lacks alignment with the employee market,” with students still favoring humanities and Islamic studies.

That is now changing. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has an Artificial Intelligence Initiative focused on research and graduate level education, while KAUST Academy focuses on talent development in AI with programs targeting outside learners.

“KAUST aims to address this gap by offering specialized training and development programs in areas that are in high demand, helping students transition from traditional fields of study to more market-aligned disciplines,” Sultan Albarakati, director of KAUST Academy, told Arab News.

“We are focusing on upskilling a broad range of undergraduate students to prepare them for future job markets.”

DID YOUKNOW?

Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence seeks to attract $20 billion in investments by 2030.

The Kingdom aims to cultivate a workforce of 20,000 AI and data specialists by the end of the decade.

AI could add more than $320 billion to the Middle East economy, with Saudi Arabia alone gaining $135.2 billion.

Supported by the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence, the KAUST Academy’s AI program covers the entire field, from essentials to advanced level, with projects allowing students to demonstrate the knowledge they acquire.

The program focuses on improving skills in key areas such as deep learning libraries, optimization, linear algebra, machine learning, computer vision, artificial intelligence applications, Python programming and large-scale deep learning.

To support AI research in Saudi Arabia, Silicon Valley tech giant Google recently awarded five seed grants to KAUST faculty members. The grants, which total $100,000, will fund projects focused on multilingual, multimodal machine learning, specifically generative and large language models.




KAUST Academy focuses on talent development in AI with programs targeting outside learners. (Supplied)

Ahmed says the Kingdom’s investment in AI spans multiple sectors, integrating into healthcare, robotics, manufacturing, and service industries — introducing new roles that require a blend of technical and analytical skills.

“This cross-industry application will significantly expand job opportunities for graduates,” he said.

AI is expected to transform the world of work over the coming years. Some 23 percent of jobs are expected to change by 2027, with 69 million new jobs created and 83 million eliminated, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023.

To ensure alignment of educational outputs with labor market needs, Saudi Arabia’s Human Capability Development Program has set out to review higher education degrees based on their recent and expected employability results.

“Training in these high-demand skills will equip Saudi citizens for success in a tech-driven economy, with the HCDP emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving and technical expertise,” said Ahmed.

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KSrelief’s humanitarian and relief efforts continue

Updated 15 sec ago
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KSrelief’s humanitarian and relief efforts continue

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief) humanitarian and relief efforts continue with the distribution of food, hygiene supplies as well as the provision of emergency transport services.

In in Ma’arrat Misrin of Syria’s Idlib Governorate, KSrelief handed out 672 food boxes and 672 hygiene kits as part of the second phase of the food aid and hygiene kit distribution project for populations affected by the earthquake in 2025.

In Lebanon’s Akkar Governorate and Miniyeh district, the aid agency during the past week distributed 175,000 bags of bread to Syrian and Palestinian refugees as well as residents of host communities. The initiative was part of the fourth phase of Al-Amal Charitable Bakery Project in the country.

In the Battagram and Buner districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as well as the Sukkur district in Sindh province of Pakistan, 2,160 food packages were given to families in flood-affected areas as part of the Food Security Support Project 2025

Meanwhile, KSrelief delivered 125 tonnes of dates to Sudan as a gift from the Kingdom.

In north Lebanon, the KSrelief-funded ambulance service of Subul Al-Salam Social Association in the Miniyeh district carried out 61 missions during the past week, including transporting patients to and from hospitals and treating burn injuries.


Women participation in Riyadh camel racing event doubles

Updated 02 February 2025
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Women participation in Riyadh camel racing event doubles

  • The increase in the number of participating women camel riders has also contributed to a rise in the prizes

RIYADH: Women participation in the camel racing event at the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Camel Festival 2025 has increased by 100 percent compared to the first edition last year, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Encouraged by the significant development, the organizing committee has decided to add a second race, which includes 18 Saudi female camel riders.

Organized by the Saudi Camel Federation, the festival's second edition kicked off on January 27 at the Janadriyah Camel Race Track in Riyadh. The competitions will conclude on Wednesday.  

The total value of prizes exceeds SAR 70 million.

The increase in the number of participating women camel riders has also contributed to a rise in the prizes. (SPA photo)

During last year's edition of the festival, 15 female camel riders competed, representing nine countries: Britain, France, Germany, Iran, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

In this year's edition, the number of female riders has risen to 30 from 12 countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Britain, France, Germany, Oman, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, UAE, US and Yemen.

The increase in the number of participating women camel riders has also contributed to a rise in the prizes, from SAR188,000 to SAR 376,000, with the first-place female rider receiving SAR60,000, SPA said.


Multidisciplinary art residency captures spirit of Jeddah’s Al-Balad

Updated 01 February 2025
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Multidisciplinary art residency captures spirit of Jeddah’s Al-Balad

  • Bait Shouaib Residency brings together diverse creatives to reflect on ‘movement’ in historic district

JEDDAH: Athr Foundation’s Bait Shouaib Arts Residency in Al-Balad district brought together a filmmaker, curator and two artists, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration over an eight-week program.

The Moving Narratives cycle explored the theme of movement through diverse lenses and transformed the historic Bait Shouaib into an active participant in the creative process.

The exhibition, which was open last month as part of this year’s Islamic Arts Biennale, welcomed visitors to witness interpretations of Jeddah’s cultural and historical essence through contemporary art.

Hayfa Algwaiz created a site-specific mobile installation in Bait Shouaib’s stairwell, or minwar. (Supplied)

Residency director and senior program manager at Athr Foundation, Ibrahim Romman, highlighted the program’s impact and told Arab News: “Each resident’s exploration of ‘movement’ became an invitation to reflect on how stories, spaces and identities shift and intersect.

“Together, their work offered a richly layered response to the theme, presenting interdisciplinary perspectives that bridged the historical with the contemporary.”

Sudanese artist Rund Alarabi has created a poetic video installation bridging the cultural and architectural legacies of the port cities of Jeddah and Suakin, Sudan.

Vietnamese curator Nhat Q. Vo centered his project around Al-Shafi’i Mosque. (Supplied)

Her project delves into the undocumented and intangible aspects of collective memory. She told Arab News: “Living between Frankfurt, Khartoum and Jeddah has fed my practice with various materials and unraveled new ways of misunderstanding. This has led me to question what I consider to be given and rethink my understanding of global and local consensus.”

Featuring sensory elements such as soundscapes composed of everyday cooking utensils, her installation forges an intimate connection to cultural memory. “Sound and moving images act as vessels that challenge our understanding of reality. They highlight overlooked aspects of our existence by infiltrating beyond our preconceived assumptions,” she said.

Filmmaker Nada Al-Mojadedi drew inspiration from Hejazi folklore to craft an immersive narrative that seamlessly blends performance, textiles and moving images. Her dual-room installation transformed her studio into a theatrical set, inviting visitors to journey through time.

Sudanese artist Rund Alarabi’s video installation bridged the architectural legacies of the port cities of Jeddah and Suakin, Sudan. (Supplied)

Al-Mojadedi explained: “I wanted to blur the lines between performer and observer, offering an intimate reflection on identity and memory.”

Speaking about her approach to the theme, she added: “For me, movement transcends the physical; it embodies the unseen — a constant, evolving force of imagination, a ‘quantum dance’ through time and space. This concept guided my exploration of Hejazi folklore, where I intertwined heritage with newly crafted urban legends.

“Immersing myself in Al-Balad’s vibrant life and stories, and inspired by my connection to Bait Shouaib and a visiting butterfly, I created Haleema, a Hejazi urban legend inspired by the untold stories of women who once lived in these spaces.”

Reflecting on her creative process, Al-Mojadedi said: “My work layers the personal with the performative, reimagining space as both a site of storytelling and an active participant in the narrative. Being part of this residency was an enriching experience that allowed us to delve into the dynamic cultural tapestry of Al-Balad and contribute our individual narratives to its enduring story.”

Similarly, another artist, Nhat Q. Vo, a Vietnamese curator and cultural worker, explored the transient histories of Jeddah’s migrant worker communities, centering his project around Al-Shafi’i Mosque, a hub of cultural exchange.

“When I arrived in Al-Balad, I was drawn to its physical environment and the untold stories of the laborers who sustain Historic Jeddah. At first, the language barrier made it difficult to connect, but my discovery of Al-Shafi’i Mosque changed everything.

“The sight of people gathering for iftar, united by faith despite their differences, inspired me to represent their stories through their shared rituals rather than words.”

Speaking about how architecture informed his creative approach, he said: “Architecture became a vessel for these narratives, a place where diverse communities converge. Using over 70 meters of fabric to replace the plastic sufra at the mosque, I allowed the material to absorb the traces of shared meals and human connection.

“The fabric, marked by food crumbs, oil stains and creases, became a tangible record of collective memory. For me, the real inspiration comes from the people whose lives and routines shape the rich tapestry of these spaces.”

Riyadh-based artist and architect, Hayfa Algwaiz, has created a site-specific mobile installation in Bait Shouaib’s stairwell, or minwar, exploring the interplay between movement, space and architectural elements.

Activating the stairwell as a dynamic participant in her narrative, she said: “The subtle movement of the mobile mirrored the ephemeral qualities of light, air and transition experienced in Al-Balad. By focusing on a single element, I was able to honor the historic significance of the space while introducing contemporary artistic interpretations.”

Elaborating on her approach, she said: “As an artist and architect, I strive to bridge the past and the present by focusing on elements that connect them, such as the framed openings in historic structures like Bait Shouaib. These openings, adorned with intricate ornamentation, are constants that I deconstruct and reconstruct to reflect our contemporary times.

“In Saudi Arabia’s rapidly changing urban landscape, I aim to spark a dialogue around what should be preserved and what can evolve. By reinterpreting traditional materials, spatial layouts and ornamentation into modern expressions, I hope to honor our cultural identity while embracing the future.”

Animated by natural airflow, her installation reflects the residency’s ethos of bridging tradition with innovation.

“Architecture has the potential to transform into a living, breathing entity, and I sought to capture that essence,” she said.

 


Saudi ambassador meets member of Mauritius National Assembly

Updated 01 February 2025
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Saudi ambassador meets member of Mauritius National Assembly

  • They discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, as well as other topics of common interest

PORT LOUIS: Saudi Ambassador to Mauritius Fayez bin Meshal Al-Temyat recently met with Rubna Daureeawo, member of the Mauritius National Assembly​, according to a post on the Saudi embassy’s account on X.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, as well as other topics of common interest.

In a separate meeting, Al-Temyat met with Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, speaker of the national assembly, and discussed relations between Saudi Arabia and Mauritius and ways to strengthen them.

 


Makkah hosts 10th international military Qur’an contest

Updated 01 February 2025
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Makkah hosts 10th international military Qur’an contest

  • 179 participants from 32 Islamic countries to compete, promote moderate Islamic values

MAKKAH: The 10th International Military Qur’an Memorization Competition launched on Saturday in Makkah, attracting 179 participants from 32 countries.

Organized by the General Administration of Religious Affairs of the Armed Forces under the patronage of Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, the event promotes the significance of the Qur’an, encourages its memorization, and highlights Saudi Arabia’s role in serving Islam’s holy book and as the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites.

The competition features six categories: full Qur’an memorization; 20-part, 10-part, five-part, and three-part memorization; and a special category for recitation and tajweed (proper pronunciation).

Parallel activities include a Qur’anic forum for religious affairs directors and imams, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s efforts in Qur’an printing, translation, and distribution.

The forum also discusses the Qur’an’s moral values, the Kingdom’s contributions through its ministries, and the impact of tajweed on understanding the Qur’an.

Additionally, the General Administration of Religious Affairs offers training programs for religious affairs personnel across the armed forces, focusing on Qur’anic teaching methods and enhancing the skills of instructors and competition judges.

Maj. Gen. Mesfer Al-Issa, director of the General Administration of Religious Affairs and competition supervisor, described the event as a significant initiative to honor the Qur’an.

Al-Issa emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to hosting this event, reflecting the leadership’s dedication to serving the Qur’an.

In an interview with Arab News, he highlighted the event’s profound impact on participants, especially as it takes place in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Al-Issa said that the Qur’an guides soldiers, shaping their character and values, and encouraging psychological, behavioral, and spiritual stability.

Soldiers grounded in the Qur’an and Sunnah are more balanced and resilient, contributing to the development of morally and spiritually strong armed forces, he said.

The 14-day event will include 10 days in Makkah before moving to Madinah for four days, where participants will visit the Prophet’s Mosque and other Islamic landmarks.

Judges, including imams from the Two Holy Mosques and Qur’anic scholars, use an advanced electronic evaluation system called “Insaf” (Fairness) for transparent scoring.

Contestants receive immediate feedback on memorization, pronunciation, tajweed, and error rates.

Al-Issa said that soldiers are selected through year-long national competitions to identify top military memorizers.

The competition also serves as a platform for military personnel from Islamic nations to promote moderate Islamic values and a proper understanding of the Qur’an through scientific forums.

Al-Issa said that the competition strengthens the Qur’an’s role in Islamic armed forces, supporting efforts to memorize, recite, and reflect on its teachings.

This helps build a generation of soldiers rooted in Islamic knowledge and guided by noble values, he added.