Governments worldwide are shaping the technology landscape through investment, R&D funding, policies, and partnerships with private sector companies. These efforts aim to advance national interests, tackle societal challenges, and create a more competitive and sustainable tech industry.
Saudi Arabia is among the leading countries in AI adoption with a solid digital capacity. The country is taking significant steps to align with the technology’s future demands, including spending on national strategies and creating a suitable legislative environment. Saudi Arabia ranks first in the Government Strategy pillar of The Global AI Index 2023 due to its innovative and committed approach to digital government. This is crucial as AI tools require dependable digital infrastructure and high-quality data to be developed and implemented effectively.
stc group, the engine of digital transformation, serves as the backbone of AI development in the country by providing the essential infrastructure, connectivity, and services needed to integrate and deploy AI technologies across various sectors successfully. Its role extends beyond providing connectivity, encompassing data handling, security, collaboration, advanced infrastructure and skill development, making it instrumental in preparing the country for the AI-driven future. Since the publication of the national AI strategy in 2019, the stc group has made a concerted effort to facilitate AI implementation in government and businesses.
On a national scale, stc group has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Investment for the EMC submarine cable project. This project will connect Europe with Asia through Greece and Saudi Arabia, placing Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the global data movement. It is expected to attract high-quality foreign investments from global technology companies, making the Kingdom their headquarters. Additionally, it will improve the country’s infrastructure, enabling companies operating in Saudi Arabia to expand into new markets.
Furthermore, stc group is focusing on attracting international investments as cloud services providers and content delivery networks to enable the country’s digital goals across different sectors.
On an industry scale, the group’s involvement and offerings lead to groundbreaking AI solutions, fostering innovation within the country. Among its major solutions is Drones for Telecom Maintenance, where stc uses drones to inspect and maintain its telecom infrastructure. The drones can quickly and safely access hard-to-reach areas, perform inspections, and take high-resolution images to identify problems—moreover, Robotics for Healthcare. Recently, stc has partnered with several healthcare providers to develop robots to assist medical professionals in patient care. These robots can perform routine tasks such as taking vital signs, delivering medication, and administering tests, allowing medical staff to focus on more complex tasks. Besides, the education sector has taken part in the innovation where stc group has paced into Robotics for Education, where it launched a robotics program for schools in Saudi Arabia. The program aims to introduce students to robotics and coding, providing them hands-on experience designing and building robots.
stc group pursues to enable everyone with its digital and innovative solutions. Hence, the group invested in the “AI for All” program, which aims to empower businesses and individuals with AI capabilities. The program offers a range of AI tools and services, including data analytics, machine learning, and natural language processing. Additionally, stc stepped into the AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. The group has been investing in cybersecurity to protect its customers from cyber threats. It developed an AI-based security system that detects and responds to cyber-attacks in real-time, providing high customer protection.
Among the solutions developed by stc group, there are several additional ones. The group developed the AI-powered chatbot, designed to provide customers with a seamless and personalized experience. The chatbot is integrated with stc’s customer service system and can handle a range of queries, from account-related questions to technical support issues.
Shaping the future of the technology landscape poses numerous challenges. These include the rapid pace of technological advancements, the requirement for robust infrastructure to support emerging technologies, and the demand for skilled professionals to develop and implement these technologies. Likewise, there are concerns related to data privacy and security, along with ethical considerations regarding using these emerging technologies.
The stc group is committed to utilizing its technological capabilities and innovative capacity to enhance the services available to everyone while maintaining an ethical and human-centred business environment. Collaboration between stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, and innovators, ensures that emerging technologies are developed and implemented responsibly and sustainably.
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