BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Amid the vast expanse of the Arabian Desert, Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh stands as a dazzling gem with its brilliance illuminating the sands. In Arabic, Riyadh means "garden." Since 2019, the annual "Riyadh Season" has transformed the city into a global spectacle, drawing visitors from far and wide to revel in the vibrant festivities that transform the desert into a flourishing garden of entertainment.
People attend the opening celebration of Riyadh Season 2021 in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on October 20, 2021. (Provided by Xinhua News Agency)
Beyond immersing themselves in the warmth and mystique of the desert kingdom, visitors to the Riyadh Season can also indulge in a feast of technology and culture powered by artificial intelligence. Augmented reality (AR) navigation, AR landscapes and a diverse array of entertainment features accessible through a mobile app provide an immersive experience, transporting visitors into a world brimming with smart technology. These groundbreaking innovations are the result of a collaborative effort between Chinese enterprise SenseTime Group Limited (SenseTime) and Saudi cultural tourism company Sela.
"Our goal is to serve visitors with the most productive collaborations and partnerships, creating truly exceptional cultural tourism experiences," said Loai Kamakhi, senior vice president of business solutions at Sela. "Through our partnership with SenseTime, we are delivering comprehensive AI-powered entertainment solutions, offering visitors from around the globe engaging and unforgettable experiences during the Riyadh Season."
Once upon a time, cinemas, bars and other entertainment venues were scarce in Saudi Arabia. In 2016, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman laid out three ambitious goals for the country in "Vision 2030," a blueprint for reform and opening up: "a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation."
Since then, cultural reform in Saudi Arabia has accelerated. Simultaneously, China's cultural industry has expanded its global reach, particularly with the Belt and Road Initiative proposed in 2013, which has provided opportunities for cultural exchanges between China and partner countries.
In 2018, SenseTime, a globalized AI software company, embarked on its AI development journey in Riyadh. Partnering with Tahakom, a Saudi company, SenseTime set out to establish the kingdom's first AI supercomputing center. This brainchild of countless engineers' dedication and perseverance was completed in 2023.
Twenty kilometers southeast of Riyadh, Tahakom's newly built data center stands tall like a formidable fortress. Undeterred by the global COVID-19 pandemic, SenseTime and Tahakom engineers worked side by side, relentlessly pursuing their goal. In 2023, their unwavering efforts culminated in the successful establishment of Saudi Arabia's first AI supercomputing center, bringing over 5,000 TFLOPS of supercomputing power to the kingdom.
Thrilled with the fruits of their collaboration, Wafa Fahd A Aldamegh, project manager at Tahakom, said, "The AI supercomputing center project has not only placed Tahakom at the forefront of AI computing infrastructure development in the Saudi market, but has also provided strong support for the cultivation of AI innovation talent in Saudi Arabia, injecting new impetus into the innovative development of AI industry applications in the region."
In December 2023, members of Tahakom's management team listen to SenseTime's briefing on the localization of AI technology. (Provided by SenseTime)
The journey of AI development in the desert did not stop there. The establishment of the AI supercomputing center has significantly enhanced Tahakom's independent R&D capabilities and development efficiency for various application scenarios. This light of AI is shining brightly in the desert. In 2022, leveraging the AI supercomputing center, SenseTime and Tahakom created a smart city AI platform specifically tailored for sustainable urban development in Saudi Arabia. This platform, like a rising star, is illuminating the path of smart urban development.
Wang Wanli, SenseTime's project director, said, "The smart city AI platform contains a wealth of video, image and alarm data. By deeply analyzing this data using AI technology, it provides valuable support for urban management and decision-makers. This platform can not only monitor urban security conditions in real time and warn of potential risks, but also inject new impetus into raising urban management efficiency and ensuring security."
In December 2023, SenseTime and Tahakom sign a letter of intent for comprehensive strategic cooperation. (Provided by SenseTime)
The construction of the smart city AI platform would not have been possible without the close collaboration and common understanding between SenseTime and Tahakom. Together, they have transformed the dream of a smart city in the desert into a reality. "Coming to Riyadh, we felt not only the scorching heat but also the unexpected warmth of the local people, which made our engineers feel at home in a foreign land. It was with this unwavering support and assistance that we were able to successfully complete one challenging project after another," Wang reflected.
SenseTime offers a smart management platform featuring AI+AR digitization and 3D visualization for Riyadh Season 2023. (Provided by SenseTime)
This journey of collaboration, brimming with intelligence and innovation, has extended to other domains. SenseTime has not only demonstrated its strong influence in digital tourism and urban planning and governance, but has also played a significant role in education and environmental protection.
Since 2022, SenseTime has partnered with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) to actively promote AI basic education in Saudi Arabia. By implementing AI education projects, they provide comprehensive and cutting-edge AI courses to teachers and students nationwide, helping to cultivate a new generation of AI talent. As the Saudi adage goes, education is the key to enlightenment. This education initiative has already achieved encouraging results, training a large number of teachers and students and enabling more people to benefit from the progress and advancement of technology.
SenseTime has also collaborated with Red Sea Global to explore new paths in environmental protection and sustainable development. Together, they utilize AI technology to provide new ideas for the protection and development of the Red Sea's environment and flora and fauna, carefully conserving precious natural resources. As another Saudi proverb goes, protecting nature is protecting our future.
In recent years, SenseTime's presence in the Saudi Arabian region has continued to expand. At the end of 2019, SenseTime's founder, Tang Xiao'ou, reached a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri to jointly accelerate the development of AI in the United Arab Emirates and other regions. This strategic cooperation will cover various fields, including privacy protection, smart parks, aviation, and public safety, injecting new vitality into future urban development.
SenseTime launches an AR navigation product for Riyadh Season 2023. (Provided by SenseTime)
As a source of future intelligence, AI holds immense potential and advantages. "In the future, we will continue to utilize AI+AR technology to meet people's needs in more activities and scenarios, assisting in the realization of Saudi Arabia's 'Vision 2030,'" said Huang Jigong, president of international business at SenseTime. (Zhang Luxi)
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