LONDON: Gatwick Airport said it was still in contention to be chosen as the site for a much-needed new runway in southeast England, dismissing a report recommending expansion at Heathrow as flawed and stoking a political battle over the issue.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will make a decision on whether a new runway should be built at Britain’s largest airport Heathrow or Gatwick by the end of the year, an issue which divides the ruling Conservative party.
Heathrow was recommended as the site for a new runway by an independent government-appointed commission earlier in July, but Gatwick said on Tuesday that the numbers in the report were flawed and it would be writing to Cameron.
“We are absolutely sure that what they’ve finally settled on does not make sense, and we will be putting that point as strongly as we can to government,” Gatwick’s chairman Roy McNulty said at a press briefing.
Gatwick’s claims will give ammunition to a group of high-profile Conservative politicians, including Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who have publicly expressed their opposition to an additional runway at Heathrow.
The commission forecast for passenger volumes of 40 million travelers per year through Gatwick by 2024 were wrong because the airport would reach that level this year, Gatwick said.
McNulty said Gatwick, Britain’s second busiest airport, had raised its objections to the figures the commission was using two years ago.
The debate over where to build a new runway around densely populated London has been raging for over 25 years with environmental opposition to expansion at Heathrow scuppering past plans there.
On Monday, environmental activists breached Heathrow’s security fences to stage a protest on the runway, causing flight delays and cancelations, and illustrating the strength of feeling against building a new runway at the airport.
The Gatwick chairman added that the commission’s report had inadequately addressed environmental concerns.
“We think that they haven’t given sufficient consideration to the environmental impacts, which is the thing that has always stood in the way of expansion at Heathrow, and probably still stands in its way,” he said.
Gatwick Airport attacks Heathrow expansion report
Gatwick Airport attacks Heathrow expansion report
Artificial intelligence is transitioning into a ‘digital employee’
- AI can be an effective tool, business leaders tell Arab News
- Not about jobs, but ‘convergence of human capital and AI’
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the world of work, transitioning from a supporting tool to an active partner that is radically changing the nature of professions and productivity standards.
Amidst the current global transformations, an active regional digital environment is emerging.
This is being led by Saudi Arabia through Vision 2030 and massive investments in smart infrastructure, providing a living model for studying the implications of this partnership between humans and machines on the future of work in the region.
Arab News spoke to various business leaders about the emerging shape of the sector.
Salem Bagami, co-founder of Metatalent, said the ideal relationship between humans and machines at work should be complementary and collaborative.
Humans would bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex decision-making, while machines excel at processing big data and performing repetitive, precise tasks.
He believes that this type of balanced partnership would lead to unprecedented productivity and innovation.
Mohammad Al-Jallad, chief technologist and director at HPE, said AI has gone beyond being merely an executive tool to becoming a “digital employee” entrusted with automating routine tasks and providing insights based on data analysis.
He believes that the real opportunity lies not in the debate over job replacement, but in “the convergence of human capital and artificial intelligence.”
AI should augment human teams by taking on menial and routine tasks, enabling employees to focus on critical thinking, creativity, and ethical reasoning, significantly improving operational results.
Bagami also emphasized the complementary nature of this partnership. “The ideal relationship between humans and machines at work is one of collaboration, where each complements the others.”
He explained that humans bring creativity, emotional intelligence, and nuanced decision-making, while machines excel at processing big data and performing repetitive tasks efficiently, leading to increased productivity and innovation.
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Salem Alanazi, chairman of Jathwa Technology Co., notes a significant trend among Saudi Arabia companies toward using AI applications to provide faster services to customers at lower costs.
The emergence of the “virtual employee” available around the clock has eliminated the need for some traditional jobs in specific sectors.
Alanazi warns that some companies’ reluctance to adopt AI may expose them to real risks. “All those who hesitated to benefit from AI applications have a lack of understanding of these technologies.”
He said those who adopt these technologies will be able to offer lower-cost, higher-quality services, which will affect the market position of companies that lag behind.
Ali Aljumhour, CEO of VALUE Consultancy, said that the transition of AI into a partner has reshaped the list of most in-demand skills in the job market.
Skills such as “prompt engineering,” “human-machine integration,” and “digital ethics” are becoming increasingly important.
He added that AI has become an instantly available “technical knowledge base,” shifting the criteria for professional distinction toward those capable of smart interaction with these technologies.
In terms of ethics, transparency, and trust, Alanazi points to the complexities of global AI governance, where legislation overlaps and evolves rapidly to keep pace with potential risks, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and privacy.
Al-Jallad emphasizes this crucial dimension, noting that providing responsible and reliable AI solutions that meet the highest standards of transparency is a key priority, especially in regulated sectors.
Bagami believes there should be basic standards for the ethical use of Al, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and fairness, along with using diverse data sets to prevent bias and protect privacy.
He believes that building trust between humans and machines requires clear explanations of how systems work, giving users the opportunity to provide feedback and conducting periodic performance reviews.
On performance evaluation, Aljumhour said: “I expect radical changes in standards, shifting from measuring individual effort to evaluating the quality of the partnership between humans and machines.”
There should be a focus on the quality of inputs provided to intelligent systems, the accuracy of review and modification, and complex decision-making based on outputs.
He warns, however, of new risks that may arise, such as over-reliance on AI or difficulty in determining responsibility for mistakes.
In the employment sector, Aljumhour expects fundamental changes in standards.
There will be questions and tests focusing on measuring skills in dealing with AI, such as asking candidates about their experiences of collaborating with these systems, or testing their ability to formulate effective requests for complex tasks.
Aljumhour identifies significant human challenges in this transition, with “fear, loss of power, and exclusivity of knowledge” being the biggest concerns for experienced employees.
