RIYADH: While some see artificial intelligence as a leap to the next developmental stage for humankind, many people are worried about jobs, said Riad Hamade, executive editor for the Middle East and Africa, Bloomberg News.
The young generation now wonders what type of jobs they should be looking for, especially after talk of smart cities powered by robots became so relevant.
“Robotics and artificial intelligence have different meanings to different people,” said Esther Baldwin, artificial intelligence strategist for Intel.
She argued that artificial intelligence is “nothing new,” and that people have had degrees in this topic since the 1980s.
Baldwin was speaking on the first day of the MiSK Global Forum, which brings young leaders, creators and thinkers together with established innovators to explore ways to meet challenges of change.
“It’s only in recent research breakthroughs that have made more natural language processing possible, but robots seem to be a topic that engenders more fear that they will take people’s jobs away or they may be dangerous,” she said, adding that it is important to define what a robot is.
Baldwin, who has spent over 25 years at Intel, pointed out that robots can be anything from very small automated devices, all the way up to something that is much more sophisticated.
Addressing autonomous vehicles, Baldwin asked whether they can be counted as robots with humans inside them. “A human is now inside the autonomous vehicle and it is driving the person around. So, is that a robot?”
Seeing a robot walking around any time soon is still very unlikely, said William Tunstall-Pedoe, artificial intelligence entrepreneur formerly with Amazon Alexa.
With autonomous driving, said Tunstall-Pedoe, artificial intelligence does have an impact on jobs. “Autonomous cars are replacing the jobs of millions of people,” he said, adding that computers have started to do things that previously only the human brain could do.
Jobs will change once robots come along, but Hamade argued that “it is not like it is the first time in human history that industries have changed. The horse and carriage was a huge industry and then it disappeared.”
According to Hamade, agricultural jobs in the US have been declining for 170 years, and manufacturing jobs peaked in 1979 and have been declining ever since. “However, service jobs have been steadily rising for a very long time. So, what is the difference this time?”
“From the first industrial revolution until today, we have been talking about augmenting humans, making it easier for them to do their jobs,” said Baldwin, adding: “If you look at labor productivity, I don’t know anybody who is working fewer hours today than they did 10 or 15 years ago. Other than France, which has designated a shorter work week for people, most people are working the same number of hours, and so it is really a shift in what we are doing.”
Tunstall-Pedoe argued that the only difference between change in the 19th century/early 20th century and now is the pace of change. “I think there is plenty of evidence that the pace of change is increasing.”
It is not necessarily clear that new jobs will replace current jobs as happened in the past, as no one knows for sure what is going to happen, said Tunstall-Pedoe, who advised the young audience attending the forum that “the remedy is to keep learning, be part of this technological change and adapt to it, and continue to learn new skills so you don’t get left behind. Stay on top of technology, apply AI (artificial intelligence)to your existing business.”
He said that senior management jobs that involve complex management of people, evolved technologies and entrepreneurship are going to be the last ones to be replaced, contrary to the simpler jobs that will be among the first to be replaced.
Involving more people in coding and programing is not the answer, according to Baldwin.
“We already seeing applications where AI is doing coding. I trained as an engineer, and if I look at the advancements over the life of my career, I used to have to do manual drafting. I don’t have to do that anymore, because of high-performance computing and simulation.”
Engineers, she said, like to solve and frame problems, which is a “crucial” trait for which humans cannot be replaced.
“There are two things critical for success: Desire and opportunity,” she said, adding that “it is very apparent that the leaders of this country are providing the youth with opportunity. The question is — do the youth have the desire? And when you match these two together, you can only be successful.”
Artificial intelligence: Leap to next development stage or job threat?
Artificial intelligence: Leap to next development stage or job threat?
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Sports medicine professionals gather at global event in Riyadh
- European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) conference will run until April 27 at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC under the supervision of the MOVE Center for Comprehensive Sports Medicine
- MOVE Center is the first facility specialized in integrated sports medicine in the Kingdom, focusing on diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, educating and protecting athletes from sports injuries
RIYADH: A major global sports medicine conference began in Riyadh on Thursday, with more than 60 speakers arriving in the Saudi capital from 15 countries around the world.
The European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) conference, one of the largest events in the industry worldwide, will run until April 27 at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC under the supervision of the MOVE Center for Comprehensive Sports Medicine.
The MOVE Center is the first facility specialized in integrated sports medicine in the Kingdom, focusing on diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, educating and protecting athletes from sports injuries.
Dr. Mubarak Al-Mutawa, the center’s CEO, said: “One of our main goals at MOVE is medical prevention. When I take one’s measurements and weight, and evaluate their condition, I always solve them with preventative solutions.
“The world is taking the lead toward the importance of being cautious and aware. A quality life consists of good nutrition and staying active because those factors prevent chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Nikos Malliaropoulos, ECOSEP secretary general and a sports consultant, told Arab News that constant learning is the most important part of working in sports medicine.
“It (sports medicine) is starting to expand all over the world and I am really happy that we are here today in Saudi Arabia, opening the doors to sports exercise medicine.
“I think it is important as Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 10 years. So, over the next 10 years, this knowledge needs to be expanded to all healthcare professionals. This course changed my life and my practice 20 years ago. It was the motivation and the drive to develop that.”
Dr. Amir Pakravan, a consultant in sport and musculoskeletal medicine, as well as an ECOSEP board member, told Arab News that he previously had experience working in fast-paced medical environments, which prepared him for his job as a sports consultant.
When he is on the field, Pakravan ensures that he has a checklist of procedures memorized at all times, to ensure a quick response if an athlete is injured.
“What I would say to myself is to stick to the one, two, three and four of your list and check that you have done all of them. That focus on procedure is important.”
The three-day conference will host a series of workshops as well as sessions with industry leaders and officials.
It comes as an extension of efforts in the Saudi sports sector under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
47th Saudi relief plane for Gazans arrives in Egypt
- The aid will be transported from Egypt’s Al-Arish International Airport into Gaza
- Relief is part of the Kingdom’s historic role in supporting Palestinian people in times of crisis
RIYADH: The 47th Saudi relief plane carrying medical and shelter supplies for the people of Gaza arrived in Egypt on Wednesday evening.
The aid will be transported from Egypt’s Al-Arish International Airport into Gaza.
The plane was operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The aid is part of the Kingdom’s historic role in supporting Palestinian people in times of crisis, SPA added.
World’s largest coral restoration project unveiled in the Red Sea
- NEOM nursery will by 2025 produce 400,000 corals annually
- Aim to restore reefs globally, says KAUST President Tony Chan
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with NEOM, have launched the first nursery of the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative.
“KCRI is the largest coral restoration project in the world and represents a significant step towards restoring reefs globally with a primary nursery officially in operation and a second facility in development, both in the Red Sea,” according to a statement released on Thursday.
The nursery, built on the coast of NEOM in northwest Saudi Arabia, is set to transform coral restoration efforts with a production capacity of 40,000 corals annually.
Functioning as a pioneering pilot facility, researchers will leverage the project as the blueprint for large-scale coral restoration initiatives, including the world’s largest and most advanced land-based coral nursery.
Located at the same site, this advanced coral nursery will boast a 10-fold larger capacity to nurture 400,000 corals annually. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.
Home to 25 percent of known marine species despite covering less than 1 percent of the sea floor, coral reefs are the bedrock of numerous marine ecosystems. Experts estimate up to 90 percent of global coral reefs will experience severe heat stress by 2050.
Prof. Tony Chan, president of KAUST, said: “Recent events provide a stark reminder of the global crisis that coral reefs face. Our ambition is, therefore, to pioneer a pathway to upscale from the current labor-intensive restoration efforts to industrial-scale processes required to reverse the current rate of coral reef degradation.”
The initiative aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 and its efforts to bolster marine conservation, leveraging KAUST’s research into marine ecosystems and serving as a platform to test innovative restoration methods.
Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, said: “Through our long-standing partnership with the KAUST, we will also highlight the role of coral reefs, among the most important marine environmental systems, and the value of their preservation for future generations.”
EU relaxes visa rules for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain
- Saudi, Omani, Bahraini nationals now eligible for multiple-entry, 5-year visas
- ‘An important step for promoting people-to-people contacts,’ says envoy
RIYADH: Travel to Europe will become simpler and easier for Saudi, Omani, and Bahraini nationals following a European Commission decision to relax visa rules.
EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Christophe Farnaud told reporters in Riyadh on Thursday that the new Schengen visa rules are “an important step in promoting people-to-people contacts, and facilitating exchanges between the EU and the GCC citizens.”
Under the new rules, a multiple-entry visa will normally be issued for five years to successful applicants, including those applying for the first time.
“The process is the same, but the length of the visa is longer, which allows them to travel to 29 European countries using the same visa valid for five years and multiple entry,” Farnaud said.
He said that it was important to view the visa change against “the backdrop of the strategic relationship between this region and Europe.”
The Schengen area consists of 29 European countries, of which 25 are EU states: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Member states will implement the decision once they have received notifications, Farnaud said.
“As we know, the notification was made on Wednesday, so from now on, the member states can issue these visas, unless there is some technical reason for a country to take a few days,” he said.
“I am very happy to have been able to work on that, and I must say that I received a lot of very positive responses from citizens, from Saudi Arabia, especially. I think it’s really good news,” Farnaud said.
The envoy said that Europe is also working on e-visas, “but it will take some time. I cannot tell you how long exactly because it implies decisions by member states on technical aspects. So, it will happen, but It will take some time.”
Japan, Saudi Arabia invite public to design 70th anniversary celebratory logo
- The chosen logo will be used in all events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the two countries
- Anyone is eligible to apply to create a logo that conveys the strong ties between the Kingdom and Japan
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for applications to design a logo to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia in 2025.
The chosen logo will be used in all events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the two countries.
Anyone is eligible to apply to create a logo that conveys the strong ties between the Kingdom and Japan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Japanese embassy in Saudi Arabia, the Japanese consulate-general in Jeddah and the Saudi government will announce the best logo design on their websites and social media accounts.
The deadline for applications is June 10. Applications must be submitted as an email to [email protected].
Each logo design must be no larger than 3 MB in electronic format, with a resolution of 300 dpi or higher, in a file format — JPEG or PDF — that will fit an A4 size when printed.
An explanation of the purpose of the proposed logo mark is required with each submission.
A similar application was announced in 2021, when the UAE and Japan commemorated the 50th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic relationship.
More information on the applications can be found here: The 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025 call for designs of the commemorative logo.
